Mark Noble reflects on his unforgettable Testimonial match at a sold-out Boleyn Ground six years ago
I saw on the West Ham United social media this week that it was six years since my Testimonial match at the Boleyn Ground, and I have to say it brought a big smile to my face watching the highlights back – there were so many of them!
When the Board generously granted me a Testimonial to mark a decade as a first-team regular, I was hugely grateful, especially with it also being the special final season at the Boleyn Ground to boot.
It was a stadium where I, like you, had so many fond – and less fond – memories, so to have the opportunity to invite my teammates, past and present, West Ham legends, family, friends and thousands of my fellow Hammers supporters to share in my achievement all combined to make it a fantastic occasion.
What made it even better was that we were able to raise so much money for three charities very close to my heart – Richard House Children’s Hospice, DT38 Foundation and Help for Heroes.
I can remember the whole day like it was yesterday.
It was a lovely, bright and sunny day, which was never going to be guaranteed at the end of March. Someone was smiling down on me, because it was absolutely beautiful and I can remember the light on the pitch as we came out to warm up.
Then I remember there was a train strike or something and I was worried that a lot of fans wouldn’t make it, having already bought their tickets, but those fears proved unfounded and the stands were all full come kick-off.
Walking out with my kids Honey and Lenny and seeing the pride on the faces of my wife Carly and my parents and family brought tears to my eyes – not for the first time!
BT Sport broadcast the game live, too, so supporters all over the world could share in an occasion that was unique, certainly in my time as a West Ham player.
I had sat down with my Testimonial Committee in the months and weeks leading up to the game and one of the biggest jobs was to get the invitations out to the players and legends we wanted to be involved.
To a man, everyone who could be there that day was there.
I will forever be grateful to Billy Bonds and Sir Trevor Brooking for agreeing to ‘manage’ the teams. The roar that greeted them as they came out of the tunnel was fantastic and a fitting tribute to the amazing contributions both of them made to our Club.
As a boyhood West Ham fan, I grew up with my Dad telling me stories about them and the teams they played in, so to have them there was fantastic.
As for the teams themselves, it was a proper who’s who of West Ham United in the 2000s.
Paolo Di Canio was the star turn. He was one of my heroes growing up and to share a pitch with him was a one-off experience that I know lots of the other boys really enjoyed too.
Then of course there were some memorable moments, with Taylor Tombides scoring a lovely goal in memory of his brother Dylan being the best of them. The family had gone through so much before and after Dylan’s death in 2014, so for him to get a goal for his brother and his parents was so fitting.
There were so many other players who I was so pleased when they agreed to take part – Teddy Sheringham, Dean Ashton, Craig Bellamy, Rio and Anton Ferdinand, Jack Collison, Christian Dailly, Trevor Sinclair, Julian Dicks, Luděk Mikloško, Jimmy Walker, Stewart Downing, Yossi Benayoun, Steve Lomas, Scott Parker, to name just a few!
Then on our team we had all the players who had been doing so well under Slaven Bilić that season – players like Dimitri Payet and Manu Lanzini. Don’t forget, we were right in the middle of a battle for European qualification, so for all the lads to play was brilliant.
The game ended six-all, so we had a penalty shootout and that gave a couple of my old mates a chance to shine. Darren Blewitt, who came through the Academy with me, but didn’t quite make it as a first-team player, smashed in a penalty I’d have been proud of, while my childhood friend Robert Hatton saved three spot-kicks!
As I said at the time, there aren’t many players who stay with a club for ten years, let alone the 18 I’ve chalked up now, especially the club they grew up supporting.
Before and since my Testimonial, I’ve always done the same thing and it’s done me well, which is to live my life right, eat and drink properly, train as well as I can every day and look after myself and those around me as best I can.
I will forever be proud of the day the Boleyn Ground was filled to celebrate my West Ham career, and I will always be grateful to everyone associated with the Club who helped make such a successful day happen.
