Noble voted Hammer of the Year

Mark Noble has been crowned Hammer of the Year.

The midfielder capped a superb 2011/12 season by scooping the prestigious award - sponsored by Alpari (UK) - at West Ham United's fourth annual Awards Dinner at the London Hilton on Park Lane. Alpari (UK) COO David Stuart was on hand to present Noble with his award.

Twice runner-up, Noble was rewarded for his outstanding performances over the past nine months by edging James Tomkins into second place after more than 10,000 votes were cast by West Ham supporters. Robert Green came in third and Kevin Nolan fourth.

"It does sound really nice to be named Hammer of the Year, to be honest!" said a delighted Noble. "I have been runner-up a few times so it is just nice to win one.

"I just want us to get back in the Premier League - that's my aim and I've just tried my best to help my club to do that. We've got three more games left and hopefully we can do it."

Lifelong Hammers Noble joins an elite band of winners that includes greats such as Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Billy Bonds, Trevor Brooking and Scott Parker. He is naturally honoured to be in such company.

"Some of the players I have come second to over the years have been pretty special. I lost to Teddy Sheringham the first year when I got Young Hammer of the Year, then Carlos Tevez and then it was Scotty Parker. If I have half the career those players have then I'll be happy."

Homegrown hero Noble has enjoyed a fantastic season in claret and blue, scoring a career-high nine goals and chalking up a club-best 45 npower Championship appearances and nine assists.

Perhaps the 24-year-old's best run of form came during February, when he was the driving force behind the Hammers collecting seven points from a possible nine - despite having a player sent-off in fixtures against Millwall, Southampton and Blackpool.

Noble has fired in eight nerveless penalties out of eight this season, helping his side to secure vital victories over Peterborough United, Nottingham Forest and Portsmouth, while his tenacious tackling and tireless tracking was a constant thorn in the side of the opposition.

The Academy graduate is the sole survivor from West Ham's 2004/05 Championship Play-Off-winning squad and is hoping to celebrate his first Hammer of the Year award by inspiring the club to promotion to the Premier League via the same route.