‘I almost cried’ – Hero West Ham fan ‘Knollsy’, who fought AZ ultras, was given a ticket to the Conference League final

West Ham’s ‘Angel of Alkmaar’ received tickets for the Europa Conference League final in Prague.

Mark Knolls, better known as ‘Knollsy’, has been rewarded for his efforts in battling AZ ultras after their triumph over Feyenoord.

The 58-year-old fan made headlines as West Ham progressed to the final, fending off local Alkmaar supporters who attacked the traveling supporters, including the players’ family members.

The disturbing scenes came shortly after Pablo Fornals secured a 1-0 victory (3-1 on aggregate) and the Hammers’ first European final in 47 years.

Knollsy was seen fending off dozens of AZ ultras and received an evil black eye for his efforts.

But in addition to the physical damage, he also left with tickets for the final against Fiorentina, which moved him.

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“I’m at work and when I got the call today I almost cried,” he told the Daily Mail. “I’m so happy, so happy. I am made up.

Revealing that a club official called him to tell him the news, the West Ham employee sat behind Knollsy in protection.

“She said she was sitting two rows behind me and she saw what happened,” he explained. “She said I was very brave and deserved a ticket.

“It’s ironic that it was her who called me today. I remember joking with her earlier about whether she could get me a ticket if we made it to the final.

“I know how hard it is to get a ticket. I’m so happy about that.”

West Ham and Fiorentina received just under 5,000 tickets each for the June 7 final, with the Eden Arena in Prague holding just 19,370 fans.