Mark Noble’s powers may be diminishing, but nonetheless, the midfielder is a West ham legend that fans need to respect while he is still playing.
Sir Trevor Brooking, Bobby Moore, Sir Geoff Hurst and now Mark Noble. It is time for people to appreciate Mr West Ham for everything that he is, a present time legend. The midfielder may not have had the success that legends in the past have had, but that does not diminish Noble’s achievements for West Ham.
Noble has had to settle for a bit-part role this season due to the success of Tomas Soucek and Declan Rice in the middle of the park. Against Sheffield United, the midfielder was used as a last-minute substitute in order to solidify the team and wind done the clock.
The 33-year-old midfielder is rumoured to be considering hanging up his boots at the end of the current season. West Ham fans must start preparing themselves for a goodbye that might not be replicated ever again in the current footballing world. It is rare for players to stay at clubs for their whole career these days.
Noble has broken the modern trend and has been the complete opposite of a journeyman. Despite two loan deals in his youth, the midfielder has been at the Hammers for his whole career. Noble has racked up 507 appearances in all competitions for West Ham, putting him ahead of legends such as Steve Potts (506), Vic Watson (505) and Sir Geoff Hurst (503).
In terms of the Premier League era, Noble is in a league of his own. The midfielder is the club’s record appearance maker for the club. Noble has made 386 appearances in the Premier League, 170 more than the club’s next player on the list, Carlton Cole (216).
Noble has remained loyal to the club he loves even through relegation in 2011. The now club captain was an established Premier League player at 24-years-old. Noble would have been a decent option for most sides in the top division, but he remained at West Ham. Noble excelled in the Championship and was crucial in the Hammers promotion at the first time of asking.
Since the club earned promotion Noble had been a stable of the West Ham side up until the arrival of Tomas Soucek in January. Mr West Ham had led his team in some memorable victories over the past nine seasons. Most notably, when he turns into the ‘Cockney Pirlo‘ against Tottenham or converting from the spot.
The player that fans have praised as ‘too good for England’ has become synonymous with scoring from the spot. In the last twenty years, Noble has the second-best conversion record from the spot (90.5% ) in the world. Only Robert Lewandowski has bettered the record. But Noble has also scored some spectacular goals, strikes against Bolton, Wolves, Norwich City and Leicester City will be remembered well.
The strike against Leicester City will likely go down as Noble’s greatest goal for the Hammers. The midfielder is only one goal behind Paolo Di Canio in terms of the club’s record Premier League goalscorers. Noble is on 48 Premier League goals and could finish this season with another famous accolade should he pick up a couple more.
In a time where players move clubs every few seasons, Mark Noble is the probably the very last of a dying breed. Only Declan Rice currently has the potential to surpass Noble’s achievements at West Ham, that is if he decides to stay at the Hammers for the remainder of his career. The only sure thing is that Noble is a West Ham legend and should be treated as one.