Emotions got the better of Mark Noble on Sunday as the long-serving West Ham captain wiped away tears ahead of his final home appearance for the club against Manchester City.
The 35-year-old announced at the end of last season that this would be his final campaign as a professional footballer, bringing to an end an 18-year spell in West Ham’s first-team. Besides loan spells with Ipswich Town and Hull City in 2006, Noble has spent the entirety of his career playing in claret and blue.
Noble, a boyhood West Ham fan who was born and raised in neighbouring Canning Town, made his first-team debut at the age of 17 in a League Cup tie against Southend in August 2004, and has gone on to play 548 times for the club. Only five players have amassed more appearances for the Hammers.
With West Ham chasing a Europa League spot, manager David Moyes left Noble on the bench for the visit of Pep Guardiola’s title-chasing side, but the club and supporters ensured that he was given a fitting send-off regardless.
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A gigantic Tifo that spelt out “Noble 16” also sprawled across the main stand, as a tribute to “Mr West Ham” from fan and actor Danny Dyer, was shown on the big screens at either end of the London Stadium. A gigantic West Ham shirt with Noble’s name and number on the back was also placed over the centre circle.
After returning to his seat on the bench, Noble was seen wiping away tears and in the 16th minute, the home fans saluted him once more by standing to applaud for 60 seconds.
Noble was brought on after 76 minutes with the scoreline at 2-2 after Jack Grealish and a Vladimir Coufal own goal had brought Manchester City level following Jarrod Bowen’s first-half double.
Speaking before the game, Noble said: “There will be tears for sure. I’m an emotional person anyway, I normally wear my heart on my sleeve.
“It will be emotional, but I’m pleased I get to do it on my own terms and retire from football, rather than football retiring me.
“I won’t regret stopping, because football can change quickly. Sometimes getting the exit right is not done often, and I feel like I have done that.”
Moyes praised Noble’s professionalism during his press conference on Friday and labelled his longevity at the club as a “great achievement”.
“When you’re saying you’re retiring from football, it’s a big thing to do,” he said. “When you’re a footballer, your career is never that long, but I think you appreciate it when you started at 15 or 16 as an apprentice, and you’re finishing at 35.
“To do it at one club is a huge achievement – it’s not done by many people nowadays – so great credit to Mark for the way he’s conducted himself as a player throughout his career.
“He’s terrific off the pitch and, for me personally, he’s been excellent since I came back. I’m sure it will be emotional for him but in the end, he’ll think he had a really good career.
“He’s been huge off the pitch as well. During the pandemic, he played a bit part in everything that was going on between all the club captains.
“When I came back, he helped me an awful lot because he gave me an idea of what was required and needed. He steered me in the right direction on one or two things, and he’s a really good sounding board. I think you need people who you can speak with. He’ll certainly be missed in the dressing room next year.”
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