In every word he spoke, earnestness shone through: Mr West Ham, embodying West Ham United Football Club.
Mark Noble would be the first to admit that he has lived the boyhood dream of every supporter of his unique, great, boyhood team.
But it is the manner in which Noble has embraced the challenges which come with that status - a Canning Town local, playing for West Ham - which has truly endeared the 35-year-old so greatly to his supporter base.
Now, standing on the brink of his final home game as a professional footballer – the Irons welcome Premier League leaders Manchester City to London Stadium on Sunday, knowing three points would seal European football again next season – Noble reflected on a wide range of topics in an emotional, honest and stirring pre-match press conference.
Mr West Ham: one-of-a-kind.
I'm excited, to be honest.
After unfortunately coming out of Europe, for me it's been a lot more relaxed, because when we were still in Europe, I didn't see anything else apart from succeeding in that.
Now that story's over, knowing that Sunday will be my last home game, it's just something that me and my family, friends and the fans can enjoy.
Obviously, in the last month or so, I've played quite a bit: I’ve played against Arsenal, Chelsea, and had minutes against Norwich and travelling around Europe, so I haven't really thought about Sunday, but it’s great because we've got a lot to play for still.
At this stage of the season, we can still finish in the European places. I had a chat with the manager, and as much as it's going to be an emotional occasion for myself and my family, it's an occasion where we want to pick up points, play well and try and get a result.
I’m not bothered at all [if I play or not].
I’ve already spoken about it with the manager. For me, the Club getting into Europe and the Europa League outweighs a sentimental see-off for me.
Obviously, I’m going to get a great reception, I know that, and maybe if I get some minutes, great, but I've played enough games in my life to not need the football!
I think the occasion, needing points really – we’re playing against one of the best teams in the world – we need to think about worrying about getting the points, instead of worrying about me.
To be honest, we've become really close in the last two-and-a-half seasons because we've had a tight-knit squad.
We haven't had the biggest squad in the world, but we've had a group of players who have worked hard for each other and had some amazing experiences with each other, and go out every weekend and play for West Ham. That's all we ask for.
I think that's why we've been quite successful in the last two seasons. Not only me, but we've got fantastic characters and leaders in the dressing room who have pulled the Club through.
The dynamics of the dressing room will change, but me knowing the manager and the staff here, they’ll get whipped into shape quickly and be ready to play next season.
Declan Rice has been one of the best players in world football.
What he's done in the last couple of seasons, and the way he’s played for the national team, has been phenomenal.
In the dressing room, with the players and with us, he's been fantastic. Dec knows I’m not going to be here every day, but I'm a phone call away if he needs any help around the place, or if he needs some advice. I'll always be here for him, no matter what.
I’m blessed and lucky, as I’ve said before.
At times it's been really hard, because when you care about a Football Club so much, and not only the Football Club, but the staff that work here...
I've known many of them since I was an eleven-year-old kid, seen them day-in, day-out, and know their families and their children, and their wives and husband, and it becomes like a big family at this place. I’m going to miss them for sure.
I’ve no doubt I’ll come in anyway. My son's at the Academy, so that gives me a chance to come back and see people.
To have played at this Club and get the amount of games I have played for West Ham is truly incredible. Being born a West Ham fan, and being from the area, I've probably lived every football fan's dream of playing for the team they support, captaining the team they support, and creating a bit of history for my family.
The memory that stands out is my debut at Boleyn Ground, because you dream about it – and then it becomes a reality.
There’ve been so many memories. There have been so many. There's been some incredible... and when you're a fan of the Football Club, and there have been other players around the world who have been, the highs are really high and the lows are really low.
The older you get, you try and manage that, but it does become a lot harder when you're a supporter of the Club. You care so much about everyone when you're at a Club for so long.
I think I’ve made it clear in the last few months what I think about what the Club has done in the last two years.
It seems like every club goes through a transition in their time, and in the last two-and-a-half or three seasons, the players and the group of staff have brought the Club and the fanbase together.
European nights at the stadium help massively, and the games we've played there against the top four have helped because we’ve had good results against them.
It feels like home. We've got a really good record at our place. It’s been such an important time over the last two years: what the players have done, they've really brought the Club together.
I’m an emotional person anyway – I normally wear my heart on my sleeve.
I’d always do what I thought was right, and if I were wrong, I’d apologise after – but at that moment, I’d do what I thought was right.
As great as this two-and-a-half years have been, it will be emotional on Sunday, coming to the end of an 18 or 19-year career.
I'm so pleased I get to do it on my own terms and retire from football – and not football retire me – and I get to celebrate with the fans who have paid so much money and followed us through thick and thin since I've been playing. It’s not just about me, it’s about them as well.
For the years I've been playing at the Club, we've had some really good seasons and we’ve had some tough ones.
Sometimes, I think someone was looking down on me having this season as my last, because we've had so many phenomenal moments, and some great times to share with the players - and when I say players, I mean my friends, because they are my friends – and the people I care about.
To see the way it’s been with the Stadium staff and the training ground staff, to achieve what we've achieved this year in playing in the semi-final of a European competition… to see the way it's galvanised everyone here, it's been phenomenal.
I wake up in the morning sometimes and I think that someone's looking down on me, letting me end my career in this season.
I think we’ve got a fantastic, solid base at the Football Club now in the manager, staff and some phenomenal players.
Sometimes, getting the exit right is not done often, and I feel like I've done that.
I dreamed about playing for West Ham when I was a kid, and then you get that and you become greedy – and when I first started playing for the Club, I wanted it again and again and again!
Becoming Club captain was a massive honour for me and don't get me wrong, the icing on the cake would have been lifting a trophy this year, but for me – as a homegrown player – just to achieve what I've achieved at this Football Club, for myself and my family, has been what dreams are made of.
I'm hoping in the next few years we might get a few more of me coming through the Academy and being able to achieve what I’ve achieved.
To accumulate the amount of games I’ve played under nine or ten different managers has to mean I’ve played under them, in different styles of playing.
I've always been in the team, so there was never really any reason for me to leave. My contract never ran out and, to be really honest, I'm from here. My family's from here. My wife and I went to school together, and my son’s in the Academy.
It was perfect for me to be here and I've loved every minute of it.
I've spoken with the manager David Moyes and vice-chairman Karren Brady and they've both made it clear that they want me to come back and do something at the Club.
What that role is, we haven't quite worked that out, but I'm definitely going to go away on holiday and spend some time with my wife and children and do some things I’ve never been able to do before.
To be honest, we’ve had a long conversation about it, but I'm just going to go away for now and sit down in a couple of months and discuss what that is.
