West Ham midfielder Mark Noble has been named as the new club captain by manager Slaven Bilic.
Noble is the Hammers' longest serving player after breaking
into the first team in 2004 and holds the club record for the number of
Premier League appearances.
The 28-year-old, who is a boyhood West Ham supporter, having grown up in Canning Town, succeeds Kevin Nolan in the role.
Nolan left the Upton Park outfit by mutual consent in August after four years with the club.
"When
you are at a massive Barclays Premier League club like West Ham United
playing in the best league in the world, to be captain and be brought up
in the same area is something very special for me, for my family and
the fans because they can relate to it," Noble told the club's website.
"I
have stood in for Kevin Nolan in the past and, in my eyes, he has been a
top captain for this club. He has brought the dressing room together
and done all the stuff on the inside that nobody sees.
"I've
watched Kev and how he dealt with things and I've learned a lot from him
and hopefully I can be as good a captain as he was."
Noble has already led the Hammers to victory at Arsenal and Liverpool, scoring in the 3-0 win at Anfield last time out and in the 4-3 defeat to Bournemouth.
"I've
got a bunch of great players here and over the last couple of weeks
their performances and attitude have made things much easier for me as
captain," he added.
"I think it helps that I have been at the club
for a long time and I know everyone and how it all works, and the
experience I have had playing for West Ham in the Premier League, and I
am looking forward to being the buffer between the players and the
manager.
"I captained the team at Liverpool and to lead the team
out at Anfield for our first win their in 52 years, and scoring in front
of The Kop was special and those memories will never leave me."
Watch West Ham vs Newcastle tonight on Sky Sports 1 from 1900
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