Lifelong Hammer and captain Mark Noble enters the #50GreatestHammers countdown at No15 - in association with Official Investment Partner, Basset & Gold...
Mark Noble
Years with West Ham United: 2004-Present
Appearances: 435
Goals: 51
Mark Noble has enjoyed a career in Claret and Blue that every one of his fellow West Ham United supporters would be proud of.
From becoming the youngest player to appear for the reserve team at 15, to winning a Play-Off final at 18, securing a ‘Great Escape’, suffering the pain of relegation, the elation of a second promotion, to leading the club through their historic move to a new stadium and becoming the Hammers’ all-time Premier League appearance record holder, Noble has been there, seen it and, most importantly, done it.
Born in Canning Town, Noble joined West Ham as a schoolboy before making his way up through the Academy of Football ranks to make his debut in a League Cup win over Southend United in August 2004. After the final whistle, he changed and walked home!
After helping the Hammers win promotion in 2005, Noble debuted in the Premier League as a teenager before establishing himself in the team which miraculously avoided relegation in 2007.
While the manager in charge changed, Noble retained his place under them all – Alan Curbishley, Gianfranco Zola, Avram Grant and then Sam Allardyce – and was named vice-captain by the latter in 2011 – the same year he had suffered the pain of relegation.
The following year, he climbed the Wembley steps to celebrate another Play-Off final victory and promotion, having also been voted Hammer of the Year by his fellow supporters just days previously.
In 2014, the midfielder was named Hammer of the Year for a second time, while also securing the Players’ Player of the Year accolade from his teammates.
The following year, he became the club’s all-time leading Premier League appearance maker and, even more importantly, was named captain by new manager Slaven Bilic.
In 2016, it was Noble who led West Ham out for their final game at the Boleyn Ground – a stadium he had watched matches at with his father as a boy – and then for their first at London Stadium.
Nearly a decade and a half on from his debut, Noble still has the same energy, commitment and quality that have endeared him to his fellow Hammers the world over.