A Noble Future

Rufus Brevett is predicting David Noble to have a bright future at West Ham - even though he faces increased competition in the form of Kevin Horlock in the centre of midfield.

"David Noble played superbly on his debut - he has got a lot of ability and he will get better," says Rufus.

21 year old David became the seventh debutant of the season against Rushden and Diamonds on Wednesday - Kevin should be number eight against Sheffield United - and Rufus shares the responsibility of the senior players to help them settle in.

"We have got more competition in midfield with Kevin coming in and all the older lads help the young lads anyway; it is natural for us to help the young lads through it.

"We have got a very small squad at the minute and the gaffer is trying to get competition for places - you need that at a football club to get the best out of yourself individually."

Looking at the weekend action, he adds:

"You know what you are getting with Neil Warnock's sides - they are going to battle and scrap and we have to match that head on.

"If we do that we have the ability in the team to win the game."

And of Wednesday's win in the Carling Cup, which saw former midfielder Alan Dickens leave the ground "looking after" young Hayleigh's winnings of several pound coins after she put some of her pocket money - or was it cabbie Alan's tips? - on a 3-1 win with Jermain Defoe to score the first goal, Rufus says:

"We started very well and I think we took our foot off the pedal, we almost started cruising and let them come into it.

"Those games are always difficult though and it was nice to see the third go in.nd we let them pass the ball about in front of us, they weren't really hurting us, and we stuck together to get the result."

He says that no matter who the opponents are, the attitude has to be correct and adds:

"I think I treat them with the same respect as whether I am playing the top players in the Premiership; I think you have to treat them with the respect they deserve whoever it is, and when you start not doing that it is when you fall flat on your face.

"We have got 45 big games and we will treat them all the same."

The game with Cardiff City on Saturday, 25th October at Ninian Park has switched from 3 o'clock to 5:35 as it is on Sky.