Joint-Chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold have paid tribute to Mark Noble after the Club captain announced that the 2021/22 season will be his 18th and last as a West Ham United player.
The long-serving midfielder and two-time Hammer of the Year, who currently ranks seventh on the Club’s all-time appearance list and has played in more Premier League games than any other West Ham player, has signed a contract extension until the summer of 2022.
Noble has made 396 of his 520 appearances and scored 47 of his 60 goals in Claret and Blue since Mr Sullivan and Mr Gold completed their takeover in January 2010, and the Joint-Chairmen have a huge level of respect for the 33-year-old and everything he has achieved, both before and during their time at the Club.
We are both thrilled that Mark has signed a new contract and will play on for one final season for the Club he loves
David Sullivan and David Gold
“Mark epitomises absolutely everything that West Ham United stands for – he is loyal, committed, honest, ambitious and blessed with a sense of humour – and that is why he is universally loved by all Hammers,” said Mr Sullivan and Mr Gold.
“As a player, Mark is a fantastic talent whose Premier League appearance record for the Club will likely never be broken, an all-round midfield player and one of the best penalty takers in the world. As a captain, we have seen first-hand how he inspires and represents his teammates, on and off the pitch. As a man, he is a proud son, husband and a father to two beautiful children.
“We are both thrilled that Mark has signed a new contract and will play on for one final season for the Club he loves. He deserves to spend his final year in a Claret and Blue shirt playing in front of the fans who have been there throughout his career.”
The Joint-Chairmen and Vice-Chairman Karren Brady have worked closely with Noble, particularly since he was appointed Club captain in September 2015.
Under his leadership, the Hammers enjoyed a memorable 2015/16, finishing seventh in the Premier League with a record points total as the Club signed off 112 years at the Boleyn Ground – a stadium situated just a short distance from Noble’s childhood home in Canning Town.
Noble worked closely with the Board on the transition to London Stadium and has helped the Club to establish itself in the Premier League and grow both home and abroad into one of the biggest in the world.
And over the past 12 months, he has helped support the owners in steering the Club through a challenging period during the COVID-pandemic, while also helping his teammates secure Premier League status following Project Restart and put together a much-improved 2020/21 campaign.
“Mark has always put West Ham United before himself,” Mr Sullivan and Mr Gold continued. “His leadership and character have been invaluable in helping the Club to grow and improve, on and off the pitch. The work Mark does, much of it unseen, has made things easier for his managers, his teammates and the Board.
“As a lifelong West Ham supporter and someone who has served this Club so loyally for more than two decades, Mark has earned the right to determine how his playing career ends, and he has made the decision that next season will be his last. Whatever his future holds beyond that will be Mark’s decision, but he knows that he will always be an intrinsic part of this football club.
“All we can do now is thank Mark for his unrivalled efforts and magnificent loyalty and wish him a happy and successful final season in Claret and Blue.”
