World Soccer - UK (2022-07)

A

fterbeingbeaten

byEintracht

Frankfurtinthe

EuropaLeague

semi-finals,a

crestfallenDeclan

Ricesaid: “Forget

me,forgetthelads,I onlyreallywanted

towinthisforNobes,tobehonest with

you.Thatwas on my mindthroughout

thiswholetournament.”

Fromthemanwho hastaken over

thecaptaincyonmanyoccasionsthis

season,itwasacleardisplayof how

loved andrespectedMarkNobleis

atWestHam United,whomadehis

debutinclaretandblueina League

Cuptieback in 2004.

Followingthatgameagainst

SouthendUnited,thethenfledgling

17-year-oldwalkedstraighthomefrom

thestadium,havinggrown up in the

shadowof UptonPark,underlining

hisstatusasWestHam through

andthrough.

The 18 yearsthathaveensued

sincethatdebuthaveincludedthe

highestandlowestofemotions,

withNobleoftenfrontandcentre.

Insummary,there have beentwo

promotions viatheplay-offs,one

relegation,oneincredibleescape,

embarrassmentinEuropeanqualifying,

a stadiummoveand everythingthat

followed,eightmanagersand,of

course,thisseason’sEuropaLeague

run.ItspeaksvolumesaboutNoble’s

longevitythathistestimonialwas

backinDecember 2015.

Thatyear, he also becameclub

captainfollowingthedepartureof

KevinNolan,andhassincegone

ontobecomejust thetenth player

inWestHam’shistorytomake 500

appearancesfortheclub.Heliesin

sixthin theclub’s record booksfor

games playedwith 5 50,andisthe

onlyplayerin thetoptentohave

played thiscentury.

Noble’slegacydoesn’tsurvive on

leadershipandlongevityalone,though,

ashehasalwayspossessedquality–

evenifnot everybodyappreciated it.

Inthe 2006-07 season– popularly

referredtoasthe“GreatestEscape”

byHammersfansafterCarlosTevez

inspiredthemtosafetyonthefinal

day– he thumpedanexcellentvolley

inagainst BoltonWanderersina vital

win,andstruckanevenbetter one

against LeicesterCitysomeyearslater,

whilethe elegantrun andcoolfinish

against Watfordwasanotherexample

ofhis outstandingtechnique.

Then,ofcourse,there arethe

penalties,withNoblebeingjustabout

asreliableasitgets from thespot,

converting 4 0 of his 45 careerpenalties

accordingtoTransfermarkt.

Ifthereis onegamethat

encapsulateshisgeneralimpact

onthe clubmorethanany other, it

isthe finalgameatUptonPark.The

midfielderprovidedtheperformance

ofa lifetimeasWestHamedgedout

Manchester United 3 -2,thendelivered

a stirringspeechaspart of theclosing

ceremony,ensuringthattheBoleyn

Groundreceiveda fittingswansong.

HisfinalgameattheLondon

Stadiumwillnotbe in aWestHam

shirt,butin an Englandone.Despite

captaininghiscountryatUnder- 21

level andgoing on to win 20 capsfor

theYoungLions,Noblewas repeatedly

overlookedbysuccessive England

managersthroughout.

Whileleadingoutthehomeside

fortheSoccerAidcharity match

won’t be quiteas significant,itwill

atleast give Noblethechanceto

gooutona welldeservedhigh

infrontofhishomefans.

DannyLewis

Reversingthistrend,in thedays
leadingup to theAntalyaspormatchit
wasreportedthatTrabzon’spopulation
hadmorethantripled.Expats flew in
fromasfar as NorthAmericato be
partof thecelebrations,withall
internalflightsandbus tickets
destinedforTrabzonselling out.
Asthe entirecitybecame
deckedoutinclubcoloursand
flaresreportedlysoldout,oncethe
titlewas confirmeda spectacularlight
showtookplace.Evena cupsemi-final
defeattoKayserisporthefollowing
weekdidlittletodampenthemood.
After yearsofill feeling,theBlack
SeaStormisfinally stirringagain.
JamesKelly

WRLDSCCER 23

Hammersheroes...

MarkNobleand

DeclanRicecelebrate

duringWestHam’s

EuropaLeaguerun

MarkNoble

WestHamUnitedcaptainhangsuphisboots

aftera careerdevotedtotheEastLondonclub

PEPLEANDPLACESINTHENEWS

Heliesinsixthintheclub’srecord

booksfor gamesplayedwith 55 0,

andistheonlyplayerinthe top

tentohaveplayedthiscentury

Pointproved...rabzonsporheadcoach
bdullahvcihasfinallysilencedhiscritics