Academy Manager Ricky Martin has hailed the instillation of The Mark Noble Arena at Chadwell Heath as ‘a game-changer’ for the Academy of Football.
A new development pitch at Chadwell Heath has been in named in honour of Noble, who retired after 18 years and 550 appearances in Claret and Blue following the conclusion of the 2021/22 campaign.
The iconic midfielder, who joined his boyhood Club as an eleven-year-old, was invited to open the new development pitch last week, one which will give the Club’s Academy scholars an even greater opportunity of emulating Noble and representing the West Ham first team.
Academy Manager Martin said: “Chadwell Heath is where it all started for Mark Noble. Over 20 years ago, he came into Chadwell Heath for the first time, and this is where he began his dream of trying to become a professional footballer. It’s been documented what an unbelievable career he’s had.
“The Mark Noble Arena is a game changer for the Academy. We’ve had the financial support from the Club to provide a Category One, state-of-the-art, FIFA Pro quality pitch. The surface is top quality. We’ve upgraded the floodlights to LED floodlights. We’ve also got brand new fencing and a new parent spectator area as well.
“The markings on the pitch make the surface multipurpose as well, so we can cater for all different sorts of matches, training and drills, whether it be five vs. five, nine vs. nine, or eleven vs. eleven. It’s a state-of-the-art facility that is going to be in use five nights a week here at Chadwell Heath.
“Mark has been a great ambassador for this football Club and a great graduate from the Academy. For an Academy Manager like myself, he’s a highly inspirational figure for the next generation of West Ham players.”
Noble’s personal investment in the future of West Ham United has seen him regularly appear down at Chadwell Heath in the evenings, watching on as the young players undertake training, while chatting to coaches and parents.
Martin believes Noble’s influence on the Club over almost two decades, both on and off the pitch, will serve as a regular dose of inspiration for the developing talent who get the opportunity to play on the pitch named in tribute to him.
“Mark, in my opinion, is the best captain in the Premier League. We, as an Academy, got audited earlier this season by the Premier League and as a part of that, they interviewed Mark and they couldn’t believe his passion, his enthusiasm, and most importantly his knowledge.
“He knows the players here, he knows their names, he knows the parents and he knows this Academy inside and out. He’s a genuine person and a fantastic ambassador for the West Ham United Academy.
“The next generation of players will come off this pitch every training session having been reminded of what a career he had for West Ham United, having graduated from this very Academy. We’re very proud to have him a part of the West Ham family, and very honoured to be able to call this surface ‘The Mark Noble Arena’.”
