Mark Noble

Mark James Noble (born 8 May 1987 in Canning Town, London) is an England professional Association football player who currently plays for West Ham United F.C.. Mark Noble has played all Mark Noble youth and first team football for West Ham and made 20 appearances, scoring 3 goals, for the England national under-21 football team which Mark Noble captained.

Despite Mark Noble relatively young age, Noble is the longest serving player currently in the Hammers squad, having been in the first team since 2004. As of 26th July '09, Mark Noble has played 108 times competively for West Ham, scoring 11 goals.

Club career

Noble joined West Ham United F.C. as a schoolboy and became the youngest player ever to appear in the reserve team, aged 15. Mark Noble became a trainee in July 2003 and made Mark Noble 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 United F.C.. Mark Noble was subsequently loaned to Hull City A.F.C. where Mark Noble made five appearances

Former Manager Alan Pardew had described Noble as possibly the best prospect at the club. Noble has featured predominantly as a central midfielder so far in Mark Noble first team career. Mark Noble won the Hammer Young Player of the Year in the 2004–05 season. in the hope of gaining necessary first team experience. Whilst there Mark Noble played 13 games in the Championship, and scored Mark Noble first professional goal on 12 September in a 2-1 home win over Coventry City F.C..

Noble scored Mark Noble first goal for West Ham, a 3-0 win at home against Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. in January 2007 in the 3rd round of the FA Cup in which Mark Noble was also awarded the Man of the Match award.

On 4 March, Mark Noble scored Mark Noble first Premiership goal against Tottenham Hotspur F.C. at Boleyn Ground in a game West Ham eventually lost 4-3 in the final seconds, prompting tears from the young player.

In May 2007, Noble won two Knees Up Mother Brown awards for the 2006–07 season voted by the fanzine website users. Noble was their overwhelming choice for Young Player of the Year. Mark Noble also won this award in the 2004–05 season. Noble won this with 99% of the votes. Mark Noble also took the Goal of the Season award for Mark Noble thunderous volley in the 3-1 win against Bolton in April 2007.

Mark Noble established Mark Noble place in Alan Curbishley's side during the 2007/08 season, starting nearly all games when fit. Noble scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory over Liverpool from the penalty spot, after Reds defender Jamie Carragher had brought down Fredrik Ljungberg in the last few seconds of 2nd half stopppage time. Mark Noble was sent off at the beginning of the 2008/09 season, for two yellow cards against Manchester City. However, despite this set back, Noble came back to score in a 3-2 defeat to West Brom. Noble celebrated Mark Noble 100th West Ham United appearance by scoring West Ham's goal in the 1-1 Premier League draw at Blackburn Rovers F.C. on 21 March 2009.

International career

Noble captained the England national under-18 football team.
Noble made Mark Noble debut for the England U-21 team on June 11 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 Holland.

Noble also played a full game for the England U21's in the semi-finals in which they lost 13-12 to Holland on penalties, with Noble scoring two penalties in the shootout.
Mark Noble scored Mark Noble first international goal, for the Under-21 team, against Bulgaria, in a 2-0 victory, on September 11, 2007 , followed by two more against the Republic of Ireland on 16 October.

Noble captained the U-21s at the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship in Sweden where England reached the final only to lose to Germany.