Mark Noble shares one-of-a-kind experience live on talkSPORT as he’s set for West Ham United return
Ex-West Ham captain Mark Noble says he first felt proud of his footballing career only after his final game at the London Stadium.
The 35-year-old, who joined the club in 2004 and made a record 472 appearances for the club, believes that he didn’t fully appreciate his career through his younger years due to the expectation and drive for results.
Noble was brought on as a second-half substitute in his final appearance at the London Stadium in the club’s 2-2 draw against eventual champions Manchester City, before an emotional farewell awaited him upon the final whistle.
Speaking to talkSPORT on Wednesday (9 November), Noble said: “When you get older in life and your career and I remember senior pros saying it to me [to be proud], and I was just like whatever, I’m only 19 I don’t care what you think.
“But then you get older and you start to appreciate what you’ve done, and the games you’ve played and the experiences you’ve had – especially to do that at one club.
“It all came out for me in that last game against Man City, when I walked out at the end, with my kids and there were still 62,000 in the stadium, it was really special.”
Noble has already agreed to return to West Ham as in September it was confirmed that he’ll start the job as sporting director in early January.
Club Legend
Although Noble believes he did not feel proud of his career until its dying stages, West Ham fans would say otherwise.
For 18 years Noble gave his all for the club – punctuated by brief loan spells at Hull City and Ipswich – and the guard of honour by players, staff and their families after full-time was just a reward.
He was the last of a dying breed and was one of the few constants through the years of upheaval at the club. He experienced years of struggle and relegation, but the ecstasy of promotion back to the Premier League – all with his boyhood club.
Although being a one-club man seems to be ever-so-slightly dated in modern-day football, Noble was an exception to this. As he broke down later in his talkSPORT interview, the chances of becoming a professional footballer in the Premier League, let alone for the club you love is so rare and should be treasured throughout a career such as his.
As Lukasz Fabianski quite poetically said after the full-time whistle at Noble’s final home game. “He’s a special person. He’s Mr West Ham.”