Mark Noble’s love of West Ham is one thing but his passion for the fans is something else and on Thursday night even he was left gobsmacked by the claret and blue army.
Everybody who was there will tell you the place rocked like never before as the londo Sradium well and truly became home if it hadn’t done before.
The Boleyn was very very special but with neatly 60,000 inside and a quarter final in the Europa Cup at stake this was an entirely different and hugely exciting atmosphere for even the most hardened fans.
West Ham fans will support through think and thin if they know the lads have given the lot and fromk start to finish the boys were on the case showing the sort of spirit which has been a feature sice manager David Moyes returned to the club.
Even for Nobes – who has had many many special nights at our club – this was something different and he told www.whufc.com: “It was an incredible night. I take my hat off to the support that was in here tonight, it was incredible.
“The fans knew what we needed to get through, to support the players and the noise was phenomenal. I really believe that’s what got us over the line.
“It’s a case of a group of players who are so close and so tight-knit that pull in the right direction for one another. We’ve got some outstanding players as well – and you’ve got to remember that we’ve missed Jarrod Bowen these last two ties.
“It’s phenomenal and for me personally to witness this tonight is just incredible and I really believe we can do something special.”
Along with the unrelenting support the team received, Noble also reserved special praise for Yarmolenko.
Nobes said: “If you look at what’s happened in the last week with Yarma he could have easily stayed at home, and none of us can even think about what’s happening to him, his family and his country.
“Yarma has come on in the last two games, been a team player and got us the goal at the weekend and got the goal to send us through in this tie.
“I take my hat off to him and will be forever grateful. He’ll always stay in my memory for this night. He’s been unselfish, sat on the bench tonight, come on and scored the goal we needed. I will be forever grateful to him.”
“I got goosebumps when I ran on and heard the noise. For me to go out on a season like this – I’ve given everything to this club for 20 years since I was an eleven-year-old kid.
I’ve taken everything home with me and it hasn’t always been rosy. It’s been tough at times but I’ve done my best to drag the players and the Club through those tough times.
“It’s not finished yet, but to finish on a season like this is so special. I can only thank the staff and players for giving me such a nice send off, but like I said it’s not over yet.”
Best atmosphere I’ve ever experienced at a football game and I’m going to have to hand some of the credit to the live DJ in the build up who pumped up the energy of the crowd before kick off. Don’t know who arranged that but I thought it was a master stroke.