Mark Noble’s fourth visit to the United States with West Ham United for the 2025 Premier League Summer Series was a memorable one.
Noble first travelled to the US with the Hammers in 2008, when Alan Curbishley’s side took on MLS club Columbus Crew during a trip that also took them to Canada to face the MLS All-Stars in Toronto. He was also in the squad when the Irons visited Seattle, Washington and Cary, North Carolina, for two pre-season matches in 2016.
In 2024, as Sporting Director, he joined the group in Florida for matches against Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers, then this year he took part in meetings and activations, mentored the Academy players on the trip, attended training and West Ham’s Summer Series matches against Manchester United in New Jersey, Everton in Chicago, Illinois, and AFC Bournemouth in Atlanta, Georgia. At the latter, he was joined by American golfer, Hammers fan and friend Billy Horschel.
Following the Irons’ win over Bournemouth, Noble also spoke to West Ham TV, focusing on the promise shown by the youngsters who Head Coach Graham Potter invited to be part of his travelling party…
Mark, this is the fourth time you’ve been to America with West Ham, twice as a player and now for the last two years as a Sporting Director, and it’s been another special trip?
“It’s actually been really good, we’ve had three really good games. Obviously it’s pre-season so you can’t take nothing out of that [result-wise], but you start looking at the fitness and obviously it’s great to see the young boys here with us. Preston Fearon has come on, Airidas Golambeckis has been here the whole time and Freddie Potts, Kaelan Casey, Lewis Orford and Oli Scarles, they’re all here, so that’s fantastic to see them out here and just see the boys sort of having a good time together. I know our important team spirit is going into the season with the staff, obviously it’s been a really good trip.”
You’ve been around it, you’ve been at training, you’ve been around the hotel, you’ve been around Graham, obviously having conversations, so does it feel like it’s in a positive place around the first team at the moment?
“Yeah, I would say that. We all know that it’s the games and the three points that really matter, but when you have a good pre-season it really does help. Obviously I’m here to support the manager and the Club and our young players because I think we’ve got some really special ones, so it’s fantastic to see them out there. It’s fantastic to be here, [but it’s time to go] home now and obviously getting ready for the season because it’s going to be a real tough season.
You mentioned those young players and as you say it’s pre-season, we want them all to take the next step but is it important that we don’t put too much pressure on them because if they’re good enough and they’ve got the right attitude they’ll come through?
“Yeah, they’ve got enough pressure as it is. To perform at this level is so hard, so we want them to enjoy the football, we want them to train with some of the best players in the world, because that’s what someone like Lucas Paqueta is, and learn from that and then hopefully they become West Ham players. I was there as a 17, 18-year-old once so why can’t they go and do it?”
Obviously, even though you’re not playing now, everywhere you go you hear American voices call ‘Nobes’ etc. Every time we come back here there are more Premier League fans and more West Ham fans and the events we’ve had here with the fans have been incredible?
“You don’t realise how big it is out here, you see the West Ham shirts everywhere, so even walking around in New York or Atlanta or Chicago you see them. It is growing, the global brand is growing and that’s why it’s so important to come here in the summer for pre-season, the players really enjoy it. I mean, look at the three stadiums! Preston came on at MetLife – how unbelievable is that for him and the learning curve? It’s growing and no doubt we’ll be back here again soon.”
