We're taking a look at some of the best players to have worn a range of squad numbers for West Ham United, since they were introduced for the start of the 1993/94 campaign.
Vote for your favourite No24 from the four chosen nominees below!
All West Ham No24s since 1993/94 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
1994-1995 | 2001-2002 | 2007-2008 | 2016-2017 |
1995-1997 | 2003 | 2008-2009 | 2018-2022 |
1997-2000 | 2004 | 2009-2012 | 2022-2024 |
2000-2001 | 2004-2007 | 2013-2015 | 2024-present |
Michael Hughes
DOB: 02.08.71 WHU: 1994-1995 (loan), 1995-1996 (loan), 1996-1997 Apps: 97 Goals: 6
Capped 71 times for Northern Ireland, Michael Hughes wore the 24 shirt for almost three years under Harry Redknapp.
In his first season, on loan from Strasbourg in 1994/95, Hughes delivered his most iconic moment in Claret and Blue, scoring on the final day against Manchester United and denying Sir Alex Ferguson’s Red Devils their third league title in a row. Although, it’s fair to say Hughes and his Hammers teammates received more than a literal helping hand from cult hero goalkeeper Luděk Mikloško.
Manchester United, two points behind leaders Blackburn Rovers, needed a win at Upton Park to stand any chance of overtaking them. Although Blackburn went into half-time in the lead, Liverpool turned it around with the Hammers' boss’ son Jamie Redknapp scoring the winner at Anfield. Brian McClair cancelled out Hughes’ opener at Upton Park, but Mikloško’s Man of the Match performance helped hand Rovers their first league title in over 80 years.
Hughes spent another season on loan before making his move from Strasbourg permanent, becoming the first British player to sign on a free transfer under the Bosman ruling. After close to 100 appearances for the Irons, he joined Wimbledon in a deal worth £1.6 million in 1997.
Mark Noble
DOB: 08.05.87 WHU: 2004-2022 Apps: 550 Goals: 62
Before making the iconic No16 his own, Noble donned the 24 shirt. While still making a name for himself at his boyhood Club, Noble began wearing the No24 in the 2004/05 season as the Hammers secured promotion back to the Premier League at the second time of asking.
Making his senior debut against Southend United that season, Noble went on to make 13 league appearances at the age of just 17. His assist for Marlon Harewood’s winning goal against Wigan Athletic in April ended a five-game winless drought as the Hammers finished the season with five wins and just one defeat in their last eight to secure a play-off spot on the final day. West Ham would go on to win the play-offs with a semi-final win over Ipswich Town, who finished 12 points ahead of them, before triumphing over Preston North End at the Millennium Stadium in the final.
His strong end to the campaign saw him earn a call-up to England U19s for the European Championships. Despite playing above his age group, Noble started every game alongside future teammate David Martin as the Young Lions reached the final where, despite taking the lead, they were defeated by a France team captained by Hugo Lloris.
The following season, Nigel Reo-Coker and Hayden Mullins were the preferred choices in midfield in an impressive newly-promoted West Ham team that finished in the top half and reached the FA Cup final. Noble would finish the season on loan at Hull City in the Championship.
In the 2006/07 season, Noble was loaned to the Championship once more, this time to Ipswich Town, where he started 12 of a possible 14 games for the Tractor Boys, scoring once and assisting twice. Recalled from his loan in January, Noble scored in the FA Cup third round in a 3-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion, before breaking into the league squad in March. He scored on his first start of the season against rivals Tottenham Hotspur, and would go on to start the last nine games as the Hammers pulled off one of the Premier League's most famous great escapes.
In the summer of 2007, 'Mr West Ham' swapped the No24 shirt for No16, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Carlton Cole
DOB: 12.10.83 WHU: 2006-2013, 2013-2015 Apps: 293 Goals: 68
A firm fan favourite, Carlton Cole returned to West Ham in October 2013 wearing the No24 shirt, having been released at the end of the previous season. Initially rejoining on a short-term deal, he earned an extension by chipping in with six goals, most of them from the bench, as West Ham secured Premier League safety with a 13th-place finish.
Despite limited involvement in his final season for West Ham, Coley’s most memorable contribution from 2014/15 was in our FA Cup third-round replay where he scored in extra-time to take Everton to penalties, then scored the sixth spot-kick to eventually set up goalkeeper Adrián’s iconic winning moment.
His 68th and final goal in Claret and Blue - against the Toffees - brought the curtain down on an endearing West Ham career which saw him earn the Hammers' leading goalscorer title in four straight seasons between 2008/09 and 2011/12.
Ryan Fredericks
DOB: 10.10.92 WHU: 2018-2022 Apps: 77 Goals: 3
Arriving at London Stadium in summer 2018, Ryan Fredericks played 77 times, scoring three goals, assisting six more and playing his part in keeping West Ham in the Premier League at the end of the 2019/20 season.
Full-back Fredericks scored his first goal for the Club in the record 8-0 EFL Cup win over Macclesfield Town in September 2018, started the vital Premier League victories over Chelsea and Norwich City in July 2020, and played five times during West Ham’s run to the UEFA Europa League semi-finals in the 2021/22 season.
Although Vladímir Coufal’s arrival in the summer of 2020 and injuries affected his game time, the speedy Hammersmith native will always be fondly remembered in east London as part of the squad which set West Ham’s best-ever Premier League points total, 65 in 2020/21.
