Mark Noble

At 37 years old, Mark Noble has this physical status:

Mark James Noble (born 8 May 1987) is an English footballer who plays as a central midfielder and captain of West Ham United.

Apart from two short loan stints at Hull City and Ipswich Town, he has played virtually all of his youth and first team football for West Ham.

He has competed for England at U16, U17, U18, U19, and U21 levels.

He captained the U21 team, scoring three goals in 20 appearances.

Noble has been in West Ham's current squad since 2004, making him the longest serving player in the team's history.

He is West Ham's first-choice taker for penalty kicks, and he has lifted the club's Hammer of the Year award twice. He was one of the top five penalty takers in the top European leagues in 2014 and ranked in the top ten in the world in terms of conversion rate, which was based on the percentage of penalties converted since 2009.

Noble has appeared in more Premier League games for West Ham than any other player.

Fans affectionately refer to him as "Mr. West Ham."

Personal life

Noble was granted permission of the London Borough of Newham in May 2016 for his work in the borough.

Noble has been married to childhood sweetheart Carly since 2012. The couple have a son and a daughter. Lenny's son, Lenny, is enrolled in the West Ham United academy in Chadwell Heath.

Noble donated £35,000 in April 2020 to assist Essex's homeless people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Club career

Noble, a born in Canning Town, East London, played for Barking Colts and advanced to Arsenal's academy at age 11. Noble's father, on the other hand, could not always find the time to get Noble to training sessions due to the distance between their house in Beckton and Arsenal's academy in Hale End. As a youth, Noble was a fan of West Ham United and grew up just one mile away from Upton Park. Noble remained a youth player until the club expressed an interest in him, and the club eventually developed an interest in him. He was the youngest player to play in their reserve team, who was 15, when he first arrived. He joined the academy in July 2003 as a rookie in the senior team at the age of 17, defeating Southend United 2–0. In a 4–2 loss at Wolverhampton Wanderers in January 2005, he made his league debut in the Championship. Noble appeared in the 2005 Football League Championship play-off Final, which saw West Ham defeat Preston North End 1–0 to regain a return to the Premier League on May 30. Shaun Newton's 82nd-minute replacement came into the game.

Despite making his debut just four months ago, Noble went on to the Young Hammer of the Year and Runner-up to the Hammer of the Year awards.

He appeared in just five league games in the 2005–06 season, including ones against Tottenham Hotspur on November 20, 2005 and Manchester United on November 27th, but after a match against Blackburn Rovers on December 10, he found regular playing time difficult to come by and was released on loan. In 2006, he did not play for West Ham at all.

Noble was then loaned to Hull City by manager Alan Pardew in order to get some games. He made five appearances, his debut came on February 18, 2006, when Cardiff City defeated Cardiff City 1–0 away. Noble's loan was terminated early after he sustained an injury to his lower back.

Noble signed a three-month loan with Ipswich Town in the hopes of gaining the necessary first-team experience in August 2006. He appeared in 13 games in the Championship under new manager Jim Magilton and scored his first professional goal against Coventry City on September 12th.

Noble scored his first goal for West Ham against Brighton & Hove Albion, the team's first of three in a 3–0 home victory in January 2007 in the third round of the FA Cup, with an assist from Carlos Tevez. In a game against Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham defeated Tottenham 4–3 in the final seconds on Thursday, scoring his first Premiership goal and the game's opening goal. In the 2006-07 season, he played 11 games in all competitions, scoring three goals.

Noble earned his place in Alan Curbishley's side during the 2007–08 season, appearing in almost all games as fit. In a 1–0 away victory over Birmingham City on August 18, Colin Doyle fouled Craig Bellamy for his first goal for the club. In November 2007, he was out for several weeks after suffering from an injury for the past few months and didn't want the medical staff to know. Noble's only goal in a 1–0 win over Liverpool from the penalty spot in January 2008, after Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher had brought down Freddie Ljungberg in the last few seconds of second-half added time. His result in the match was described as "extraordinary."

Noble's 2008-09 campaign got off to a 0-3 loss at Manchester City, the first away game of the season. After serving his suspension, he came back to score an equalizer against West Bromwich Albion after West Ham went a goal down and West Bromwich Albion defeated 3–2. This was one of five goals he scored in the season, with three of them coming from the penalty spot. After Alan Curbishley's departure in September, he stayed in the first team under new boss Gianfranco Zola. He scored against Blackburn at Ewood Park on March 21 for a 1-1 draw in his 100th appearance for the Hammers. In April, he agreed to a contract extension, tying him to the club until 2013.

Noble started the 2009-10 season well, scoring West Ham's first goal of the new season in a 2–0 win over Premier League newcomers Wolves. Noble settled himself in central midfield under Gianfranco Zola, with Scott Parker as his partner and Jack Collison and Valon Behrami on the wings. In a 2–1 home win over Aston Villa on November 4, he would only score one other goal during the season – a penalty after Habib Beye fouled Zavon Hines.

Noble continued to be a regular member of the first team with West Ham now being led by Avram Grant. After being relegated after finishing in 20th and last place in the Premier League, he played 26 of a possible 38 games during the season without missing a month of the season. He had four goals in the league, including two in a single game. West Ham 2–0 up against Manchester United on April 2nd, 2011. His two penalties brought West Ham 2–0 up, but Wayne Rooney's hat-trick, which culminated in the game 4–2 for Manchester United.

Noble scored eight goals, seven of whom were penalties, in his first goal from open play, a 4–0 away win over Barnsley during the 2011-12 season. Noble had been voted Hammer of the Year for the 2011-2012 season after being runner-up twice. Noble played in the 2012 Football League Play-off Final at Wembley Stadium against Blackpool, who defeated West Ham 21-0 to return to the Premier League after a one-year absence. He had appeared in 49 games in all competitions, but only one of their Championship games had been played by the end of the season.

Noble signed a new three-year deal in September 2012 with the option of a further two years. He was out of action in February 2013 after being diagnosed with a compression of the thoracic outlet. In a 2–2 home draw against Manchester United on April 17, he did not return until April 17, 2013 a second home draw. Noble's record for the season stands at 31 games in all competitions, with four goals scored. In a 4–1 home victory over Southampton on October 20, 2012, three goals were penalty with his one-goal from open play.

Noble scored three goals in 2013–14 season, with the exception from open play being the second goal in a 2–0 away win over Cardiff City in January, despite the squad being down to ten men following a James Tomkins call off. Noble won his second Hammer of the Year on May 6, 2014, defeating runner Adrián and third-placed James Tomkins. Noble also received the Player of the Year award on the same awards night.

Noble missed a penalty in a 0–1 home loss by Tottenham on August 16, 2014, the season's first home game, but he scored his first goal of the season in the upcoming home game against Southampton on August 30. Noble's appearance against Newcastle United in his 205th Premier League match, defeating Steve Potts, made him West Ham's best appearance maker in the Premier League on November 29. Noble agreed to a contract extension that will keep him at West Ham until 2020, with a nil option for a second year in February 2015.

Noble's first goal of the season came from the penalty box in a 3–4 home loss to Premier League newcomers AFC Bournemouth on August 22. In a 3–0 away victory over Liverpool the following week, he scored his second goal; this was West Ham's first victory at Anfield since 1963. Noble made his 350th appearance for West Ham on February 6, 2016, defeating Southampton 11-0. In the 77th minute of West Ham's 2–2 draw against Norwich City, he scored his third goal of the season, as he scored his equalizer. Noble's long service to the club had been announced on December 22, 2015, it was revealed that he would be given a testimonial by West Ham. The game was played between a West Ham XI and a West Ham United all-stars squad, with all proceeds going to charity. The West Ham XI scored 6–5 against a crowd of 36,000 people and featured a goal by Paolo Di Canio and two others by Dean Ashton, as well as a bicycle kick described as "stunning."

Noble was the last man to lead a West Ham United squad out at Upton Park on May 10, 2016, when the Hammers went on to win their last game against Manchester United, 3–2.

Supporters of West Ham in March 2017 demanded that he be dropped from the team. Noble described the season as "the most difficult of his career" during his time as a student. Noble played against Swansea City on Saturday, his 400th appearance for West Ham, marking his 19th appearance for the club, making him the 19th player to reach this number. He appeared in all West Ham games in the 2016–17 season, two in the Europa League and three in the Premier League. With two games remaining for West Ham as he needed an abdominal surgery, his season came to an end early.

Noble scored from the penalty spot against Stoke City on December 16, 2017, marking his 300th Premier League appearance. During a 3–0 home loss to Burnley in March 2018, there were demonstrations against David Sullivan and the West Ham United board. There were four pitch invasions, with one fan striking Noble on the field. Noble was "horrific" in scenes before he threw the supporter to the ground, causing him to collapse. He scored his second goal in a 2–0 away victory at Leicester City on May 5th, a result that has ensured West Ham's survival in the Premier League. Noble referred to the shot, a volley from the edge of the penalty area, as "the best of his career" on record.

Noble scored his first goal of the season on February 9, 2019, a penalty over Vicente Guaita of Crystal Palace after he had fouled Michail Antonio in the area. The game ended 1–1. Noble won by 5 goals on the last day of the season, with a brace against Watford.

Noble missed the first two games of the season due to illness, but the Hammers opened their third game of the season against Watford, scoring a third-minute penalty in a 3–1 victory, the Hammers' first victory of the season. This was his 25th successful Premier League foul, with only Shearer (56), Lampard (43) and Gerrard (32) scoring more. Noble played in West Ham's 500th appearance on July 17th, assassinating him in a 3–1 victory over Watford.

Noble, as club captain, expressed disappointment at the departure of Grady Diangana, a West Ham player, a week before the 2020-2021 season begins. Noble wrote on Twitter, "I'm gutted, angry, and sad that Grady has left a great boy with a bright future." Arthur Masuaku and several West Ham supporters who expressed dissatisfaction with club owners David Sullivan and David Gold were among his supporters.

Noble signed a new one-year deal on March 9th 2021, and he announced that the 2021–22 season would be his last as a West Ham player. Noble won 3–2 home victory over Leicester City on April 10, 2021, his 400th Premier League appearance.

Noble came on as an 83rd-minute substitute for goal scorer and Hammers vice captain of the game until being suspended – Declan Rice in a 2–0 away victory over Dinamo Zagreb in his first Europa League group stage appearance and his seventh European appearance for the club overall on September 1621.

After being ruled out of time on just seconds before, David de Gea saved a penalty kick against Manchester United in a 2–1 loss against Manchester United in the last minute of the game on September 19. Noble scored a penalty against Rapid Wien in a 2–0 Europa League match on November 25, marking his third European goal for the club. Noble's victory in his first Premier League game of the season on December 28th in an away game to Watford. West Ham defeated 4–1, with Noble scoring his third goal, a penalty, marking his 47th Premier League appearance, placing him joint with Paolo Di Canio as West Ham's second highest scorer of Premier League goals.

In May 2022, West Ham announced that the Young Hammer of the Year award would be renamed the "Mark Noble Award" in honor of the player.

Noble played his last home game for West Ham on May 15 in a 2–2 draw with Premier League champions Manchester City, a 77th-minute replacement for the 77th-minute substitute in front of a sellout stadium. Both sets of supporters erupted in the 16th minute of the game for the faithful Hammer who wore the 16 shirt. Danny Dyer and Ben Shephard appeared on the pitch at West Ham for the occasion. Pep Guardiola, the city manager, hugged Noble at the end of the game. Prince Albert II, Prince of Monaco, and an admirer of West Ham, was on hand to pay his respects to the player. Following the game, Noble's fellow players and supporters also bid their goodbyes. The "Mark Noble Arena" in Chadwell Heath opened on May 20th, naming their new academy pitch.

Noble made his final appearance for the club on May 22nd, 2022, defeating Brighton and Hove Albion 3–1 in a 3–1 loss, ending as an 81st-minute replacement. Noble made 550 appearances for West Ham, 414 of those playing in the Premier League, scoring 62 goals.

International career

Noble captained the England U18 team. He was a member of the England U19 team that defeated Serbia and Montenegro U19s 3–1 in the 2005 European Championship semi-finals, but the team later lost the final to France.

Noble made his England U21 team debut on June 11, 2007, replacing Tom Huddlestone in England's 82nd minute during the 2007 European Under-21 Championships, held in the Netherlands. In a thrilling semi-final penalty shootout against the Netherlands, where England lost 13-12, he established himself in the starting lineup for the remaining matches and scored twice. Noble scored his first international goal for the Under-21 team against Bulgaria on September 11, 2007, followed by two more against the Republic of Ireland on October 16.

At the 2009 European Championships, Noble captained the U21s as regular captain Steven Taylor was forced to leave due to injury. Noble was the youngest Lions to finish the tournament as runners-up, losing 4–0 to Germany, with Noble playing his last match for the U21s.

Noble's Cork-born grandparents were also eligible to compete for the Republic of Ireland's national team. Despite boasting on several occasions that he was keen to play for England at a senior level, the Irish Independent revealed in August 2014 that he might have been able to make himself available for Ireland's national team.

"There are young Irish kids playing well and deserve and will appreciate an Irish cap more than I would," Noble said in previous stories that Noble would accept a call up from Ireland in February 2017. As a youth international (with England), I participated in tournaments and performed the national anthem, and I sang the national anthem. Well, I've never had a senior job, but that's unfortunate. So, for me to turn up to play for Ireland without it having been a dream of mine, and there's an Irish child out there who might miss out if it's their dream to play for Ireland.

Later career

Noble will return to West Ham United as a sports director in September 2022, as a sports director from January 2023.

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