Mark Noble

For other people named Mark Noble, see Mark Noble (disambiguation).
Mark Noble

Noble with West Ham in July 2014
Personal information
Full nameMark James Noble[1]
Date of birth8 May 1987[1]
Place of birthCanning Town, England
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Playing positionCentral midfielder
Club information
Current team
West Ham United
Number16
Youth career
2000–2004West Ham United
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2004–West Ham United268(30)
2006→ Hull City (loan)5(0)
2006→ Ipswich Town (loan)13(1)
National team
2002England U167(0)
2003–2004England U1712(0)
2004England U181(0)
2005England U197(0)
2007–2009England U2120(3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 00.10, 17. february(UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).

Mark James Noble (born 8 May 1987) is an English footballer who plays as a central midfielder and is vice-captain[3] of West Ham United. He has played almost all his youth and first team football for West Ham apart from two short loan spells, at Hull City and Ipswich Town. He has played for England at U16, U17, U18, U19 and U21 levels. He captained the U21 side, scoring three goals in twenty appearances. Noble is the longest serving player in West Ham's current squad, having been in the first team since 2004. He is West Ham's first-choice taker for penalty kicks and has won the club's Hammer of the year trophy twice.[4] In 2014 he was ranked in the top 5 penalty takers in the top European leagues and was in the top 10 in the world based on the percentage of penalties successfully converted since 2009.[5] Noble has played more Premier League games for West Ham than any other player. He overtook Steve Potts' previous record of 204 appearances on 29 November 2014 in a 1–0 win against Newcastle United.

Club career

Early career

Born in Canning Town, East London, Noble played for Barking Colts and moved to Arsenal's academy aged 11. However, his father, who would drive him to training, could not always arrange the time to get Noble to training sessions due to the distance from their home in Beckton. Local side West Ham United showed an interest and Noble signed as a youth player.[6] He became the youngest player ever to appear in their reserve team, aged 15.[7] He became a trainee in July 2003[8] and made his debut in the senior team at the age of just 17 in the League Cup in August 2004 in a 2–0 win against Southend.[8] He made his league debut in the Championship in January 2005, in a 4–2 defeat away at Wolves.[8] On 30 May 2005 Noble played in the 2005 Football League Championship play-off Final which saw West Ham beat Preston North End, 1–0 to return to the Premier League. He had entered the game as an 82nd minute substitute for Shaun Newton.[9]

Open top bus for winners of 2005 Football League Championship play-off Final. Noble with trophy and flag

In 2005 manager Alan Pardew said of Noble, "We think very highly of Mark. If he keeps on working hard and continues to develop as he has, there is no reason why he can't become a top player for this club".[10] Noble won the Young Hammer of the Year[11] and the runner-up to the Hammer of the Year awards despite making his debut only four months previously.[7] Upon West Ham's return to the Premiership, he featured in only five Premier League games in the 2006–06 season including those against Tottenham Hotspur on 20 November 2005 and against Manchester United on 27 November 2005, but after a game against Blackburn Rovers on 10 December 2005 he found regular playing time harder to come by and was sent out on loan. He did not play for West Ham at all in 2006.[8][12]

Loan Periods

Noble was subsequently loaned to Hull City[13] where he made five appearances.[8] His Hull debut came on 18 February 2006 in a 1–0 away defeat by Cardiff City.[14] Noble's loan ended early after he suffered an injury to his lower back.[15]

Noble signed a three-month loan with Ipswich Town in August 2006[16] in the hope of gaining necessary first team experience. Whilst there he played 13 games in the Championship, and scored his first professional goal on 12 September in a 2–1 home win over Coventry City.[17]

Return to West Ham

Noble scored his first goal for West Ham, the first their 3–0 win at home against Brighton & Hove Albion in January 2007 in the 3rd round of the FA Cup, from an assist by Carlos Tevez.[18] On 4 March, he scored his first Premiership goal and the opening goal of the game, against Tottenham Hotspur at Upton Park in a game West Ham eventually lost 4–3 in the final seconds.[19][20] He played 11 games in all competitions scoring three goals in the 2006–07 season.[12]

2007–08 season

Noble established his place in Alan Curbishley's side during the 2007–08 season, starting nearly all games when fit. He scored his first penalty for the club on 8 August 2007 in a 1–0 away win against Birmingham City after Colin Doyle had fouled Craig Bellamy.[12][21] He was out for several weeks in November 2007 after he had played through an injury for the last several months without letting the medical staff know.[22] In January 2008, Noble scored the only goal in a 1–0 victory over Liverpool from the penalty spot, after Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher had brought down Fredrik Ljungberg in the last few seconds of 2nd half added time. His performance in the match was described as "exceptional".[23]

2008–09 season

Mark Noble takes a free kick

The 2008–09 season did not start well for Noble as he was sent off for two bookable offences in a 3–0 loss away at Manchester City, the first away game of the season.[24] After serving his suspension he came back to score an equaliser against West Bromwich after West Ham went a goal down with West Brom coming back to win 3–2. This was one of five goals he scored in the season with three coming from the penalty spot.[12] After Alan Curbishley left in September, he remained in the first team under new manager, Gianfranco Zola. He celebrated his 100th appearance for the Hammers by scoring against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park, on 21 March 2009 to secure a 1–1 draw.[25] In April, he signed a contract extension tying him to the club until 2013.[26]

2009–10 season

Noble began the 2009–10 season well, scoring West Ham's first goal of the new season. In the first game of the season on 15 August, he scored the opening goal, a 16-yard strike, in a 2–0 win over Premier League newcomers Wolverhampton Wanderers.[27] Under new manager Zola Noble established himself in central midfield in a midfield diamond that included Scott Parker as his partner and Jack Collison and Valon Behrami on the wings.[28] He would only scored one other goal during the season, a penalty after Habib Beye had fouled Zavon Hines, in a 2–1 home win against Aston Villa on 4 November 2009.[12][29]

2010–11 season

Noble (front) after the 2012 Football League Championship play-off Final

With West Ham now managed by Avram Grant, Noble continued to be a regular member of the first team. He played 26 of a possible 38 games in the Premier League missing a month of the season after an appendectomy as West Ham were relegated after finishing in 20th and bottom place.[12][30] He scored four league goals, all were penalties including two in one game. On 2 April 2011 against Manchester United his two penalties had put West Ham 2–0 up only for Wayne Rooney to score a hattrick which, with another goal by Javier Hernández, won the game 4–2 for Manchester United.[31]

2011–12 season

During the 2011–12 season with West Ham now back in the Championship, Noble scored eight goals, seven of which were penalties,[12] his only goal from open play coming in a 4–0 away win against Barnsley.[32] Having twice previously been runner-up, in April 2012, Noble was named Hammer of the Year for the 2011–12 season.[33] In May 2012 Noble played in the 2012 Football League Championship play-off Final at Wembley Stadium against Blackpool which West Ham won 2–1 to return to the Premier League after a one-year absence.[34] By the end of the season he had played 49 games in all competitions missing just one of their Championship games.[12]

2012–13 season

In September 2012, Noble signed a new three-year contract with an option for a further two years.[35] In February 2013 he was out injured having been diagnosed with a compression of the thoracic outlet.[36] He did not return until 17 April 2013 in a 2–2 home draw against Manchester United.[12] The missing games saw Noble's tally for the season at 31 games in all competitions with four goals scored. Three goals were penalties with his one-goal from open play coming in a 4–1 home win against Southampton on 20 October 2012.[37]

2013–14 season

Noble scored three goals in the 2013–14 season, the only one from open play being the second goal in a 2–0 win over Cardiff City in January with the team being down to ten men after a James Tomkins sending off.[38] On 6 May 2014, Noble received his second Hammer of the Year, beating runner up Adrián and third placed James Tomkins. On the same awards night, Noble also won 'Players' Player of the Year'.[39]

2014–15 season

Noble missed a penalty in a 0-1 home defeat by Tottenham Hotspur on 16 August 2014, the opening game of the season, but scored his first goal of the season in the next home game, on 30 August, a 1-3 home defeat by Southampton.[40] On 29 November 2014, Noble passed Steve Potts record as the West Ham player who has played the most Premier League games. His appearance against Newcastle United was his 205th Premier League game.[41] Noble signed a contract extension which would keep him at West Ham until 2020, with an option for a further year, on 26 February 2015.[42]

International career

Noble captained the England U-18 team.[7] He was a member of the England U-19 team that beat Serbia and Montenegro 3–1 in the 2005 European Championship semi-finals, although they subsequently lost the final to France.[43]

Noble made his debut for the England U-21 team on 11 June 2007, coming on as substitute in the 82nd minute for Tom Huddlestone in England's 0–0 draw with the Czech Republic during the European under-21 Championships in the Netherlands.[44] He established himself in the starting eleven for the remaining matches[45] and scored twice in a dramatic semifinal penalty shootout against the Netherlands where they lost 13–12.[46]

On 11 September 2007, Noble scored his first international goal, for the Under-21 team, against Bulgaria, in a 2–0 victory,[47] followed by two more against the Republic of Ireland on 16 October.[48]

Noble captained the U-21s at the 2009 European Championships as regular captain Steven Taylor had to withdraw due to injury.[49] The Young Lions ended the tournament as runners-up, losing 4–0 to Germany, with Noble playing his last match for the U21's.

Noble is also eligible to play for the Republic of Ireland national side through his Cork born grandparents.[50] In August 2014, despite stating on numerous occasions about his ambition of playing for England,[51] Noble refused to rule out playing for the Irish National Team in the future.[52][53]

Career statistics

As of match played 18 January 2015.
Club statistics
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
West Ham United 2004–05[54] Championship 13030203[lower-alpha 1]0210
2005–06[55] Premier League 500010—60
2006–07[56] Premier League 102110000113
2007–08[57] Premier League 3132030—363
2008–09[58] Premier League 2934210—345
2009–10[59] Premier League 2720010—282
2010–11[60] Premier League 2644051—355
2011–12[61] Championship 45800003[lower-alpha 1]0488
2012–13[62] Premier League 2841010—304
2013–14[63] Premier League 3830010—393
2014–15[64] Premier League 1614010—171
Total 269301731816030534
Hull City (loan) 2005–06[55] Championship 500000—50
Ipswich Town (loan) 2006–07[56] Championship 1310000—131
Career total 284311531816032335
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Appearances in Football League Championship play-offs

Honours

Club

West Ham United
Individual

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2009). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2009–10. Mainstream Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84596-474-0.
  2. ↑ "Player Profile: Mark Noble". Premier League. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  3. ↑ "Captain Reid relishing role — News — Latest News — News — West Ham United". Retrieved 12 September 2014.
  4. ↑ "West Ham United F.C. – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia". Retrieved 12 September 2014.
  5. ↑ Richard Beech. "Why England should PRAY for penalties at the World Cup — and why we should take Mark Noble — Mirror Online". mirror. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
  6. ↑ "West Ham hero Noble: Why I left Arsenal". Tribal Football. 26 December 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Mark Noble Profile". www.whufc.com. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 "Soccerbase: Mark Noble". Retrieved 12 September 2014.
  9. ↑ "West Ham 1–0 Preston". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  10. ↑ Silver, Neil. "Pardew to make a Noble gesture". www.thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  11. ↑ "Mark's Big Finish". whufc.com. 5 May 2005.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 12.7 12.8 "Welcome to the Wonderful World of West Ham United Statistics — Mark Noble". www.westhamstats.info. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  13. ↑ "Noble joins Hull for three months". BBC Sport. 6 February 2006. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  14. ↑ "Cardiff 1–0 Hull". BBC Sport. 18 February 2006. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  15. ↑ "Mark Noble: Claret and blue, through and through", The Independent on Sunday, 17 June 2007. Retrieved 17 June 2007.
  16. ↑ ""Noble and Walton sign for Ipswich"". Retrieved 12 September 2014.
  17. ↑ "Ipswich 2–1 Coventry". BBC. 12 September 2006. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
  18. ↑ Lyon, Sam (6 January 2007). "West Ham 3–0 Brighton". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  19. ↑ Fletcher, Paul (4 March 2007). "West Ham 3–4 Tottenham". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  20. ↑ "West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur, 04 March 2007". www.11v11.com. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  21. ↑ Sanghera, Mandeep (8 August 2007). "Birmingham 0–1 West Ham United". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  22. ↑ ""Naive" Noble out for two weeks". Waltham Forest Guardian. 9 November 2007.
  23. ↑ Chowdhury, Saj (30 January 2008). "West Ham United 1–0 Liverpool". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  24. ↑ "Report: Manchester City vs West Ham United". espn.com. 24 August 2008.
  25. ↑ Ton-up Noble earns draw www.whufc.com
  26. ↑ "Duo hammer out new deals". PremierLeague.com. 7 April 2009.
  27. ↑ Mikey Stafford. "Premier League: Wolves 0–2 West Ham United". the Guardian. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
  28. ↑ Jack's a part of the precious diamond
  29. ↑ Roopanarine, Les (4 November 2009). "West Ham 2–1 Aston Villa". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  30. ↑ "West Ham midfielder Noble out after appendectomy". Associated Press. 2 November 2010. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  31. ↑ Sanghera, Mandeep (2 April 2011). "West Ham 2–4 Manchester United". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  32. ↑ "Barnsley 0–4 West Ham United". www.whufc.com. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  33. ↑ "Noble voted Hammer of the Year". whufc.com. 30 April 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
  34. ↑ Fletcher, Paul (19 May 2012). "Blackpool 1–2 West Ham". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  35. ↑ "MARK NOBLE SIGNS NEW WEST HAM DEAL". www.dailstar.co.uk. 25 September 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2012.
  36. ↑ "Hammers publish important research". www.whufc.com. 18 November 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  37. ↑ Hassan, Nabil (20 October 2012). "West Ham 4–1 Southampton". Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  38. ↑ "11 January 2014, Cardiff City 0 – 2 West Ham — Match Report — Match — West Ham United". Retrieved 12 September 2014.
  39. ↑ "2013/14 Player Awards,". 5 May 2014.
  40. ↑ "West Ham 1-3 Southampton". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  41. ↑ Burke, Liam (30 November 2014). "Noble sets Premier League Record for West Ham". EPL Index.com. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  42. ↑ "Mark Noble signs West Ham contract extension to 2020". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  43. ↑ ""Noble cause"". Retrieved 12 September 2014.
  44. ↑ "England held in Arnhem", TheFA.com match report, 11 June 2007. Retrieved 11 June 2007.
  45. ↑ "Graft not craft the art for Noble". uefa.com. 16 June 2009.
  46. ↑ "Unlucky 13 for England", TheFA.com, 20 June 2007. Retrieved 9 July 2007.
  47. ↑ "Bulgaria U21 0–2 England U21 ". Retrieved 12 September 2014.
  48. ↑ Republic of Ireland U21 0–3 England U21 , sportinglife.com, 16 October 2007. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
  49. ↑ "Pearce considers Noble for captain's role". Waltham Forest Guardian. 9 June 2009.
  50. ↑ "Lonergan could play for Republic". lep.co.uk. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  51. ↑ "Mark Noble: I will never give up on my England dream". Evening Standard. 14 August 2014.
  52. ↑ "West Ham's Mark Noble ready to declare for Ireland — reports". Irish Independent. 29 August 2014.
  53. ↑ "Mark Noble ready to play for Ireland as West Ham midfielder gives up on England call-up". Daily Mail. 28 August 2014.
  54. ↑ "Games played by Mark Noble in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  55. ↑ 55.0 55.1 "Games played by Mark Noble in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  56. ↑ 56.0 56.1 "Games played by Mark Noble in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  57. ↑ "Games played by Mark Noble in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  58. ↑ "Games played by Mark Noble in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  59. ↑ "Games played by Mark Noble in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  60. ↑ "Games played by Mark Noble in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  61. ↑ "Games played by Mark Noble in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  62. ↑ "Games played by Mark Noble in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  63. ↑ "Games played by Mark Noble in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  64. ↑ "Games played by Mark Noble in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  65. ↑ "Championship team". Spurs defender Kyle Walker wins PFA Young Player award. BBC Sport. 22 April 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2012.

External links