Mark  Noble has been discussing his life long love affair with the Irons after being handed a new deal at the club which will surely see him end his career at the club.

An in an in depth article on www.whufc.com he said:  “I’m 31 – going on 32 – and I’ve been here at West Ham all my life. I remember getting a call-up when I was in school, from Glenn Roeder, to come train in half-term with the first team, with the likes of Joe Cole, Jonny Moncur, Steve Lomas, Paolo [Di Canio], Trevor Sinclair and Michael Carrick.

“I was only a young kid at the time. I still remember that excitement of being in the indoor gym at Chadwell Heath and training with those players. When I was young it was Joe Cole, and Michael Carrick. At 15, that’s who we watched out for. You’d see them coming through the Academy.

“I don’t care what anyone says. When you’re in the Academy and you get close to the first team, and you see the likes of Joe and Michael come through, you think: ‘I have a chance at this club’.”

 

He added it was a pleasure to be involved at the club even when rested by manager saying:  “Obviously you’re going to be upset when you don’t play. But what am I going to do, throw my toys out of the pram?

“I know a lot of players do and that’s why they end up all around the world, in lower league football, or go elsewhere and don’t play. They move their families all around the country and they aren’t happy. As I said, it’s not just in my nature.

“I’ve been really lucky with injuries. I’ve stayed pretty injury free over my career, and to play 30 odd games a season for 13 years is pretty special.”

“Stepping out on that pitch is the best feeling in the world. That feeling… you look around on the pitch and you go through stages. And some of those stages are so hard. And I’m on Declan and I’m on Grady now to let them know that this is not a smooth ride.

“You have to be so mentally strong to be able to cope. Especially now with social media and the pressure of actually being a Premier League player. It’s immense. It’s not through ability most of the time, it’s being able to cope with the pressure of being able to win.”

“I hope that the club keeps moving in the right way, and hopefully I can be a part of that.

“To be honest, I haven’t done my coaching badges. Football is so intense now that when it gets to the summer, I like to spend it with my kids and the wife. I’d love to be involved somewhere though.

“I think there’s no better person than me at this club to know the morals and ensure the foundations are kept with the young players and staff members.”

ClaretandHugh says: A few months ago another ‘legend’ – and I accept the word is thrown around too loosely, but not on this occasion – James Collins made it clear he didn’t believe there was much of a future under Manuel Pellegrini. Sorry Ginge but that is that one put to bed. Instead the skipper will go on and remain the dressing room ‘guvnor’ where everybody says his influence is immense – one of the major reasons in extending this Hammers deal. It will be a big encouragement for those within the academy to hear him saying that as a kid when he saw the likes of Joe Cole and Michael Carrick coming through he had the immediate feeling that he knew he could break through. Mark may have his indifferent games – which of them don’t – but it would be impossible to think of him serving any other club than the Hammers and CandH send him the very best for now and the future.