West Ham United captain Kevin Nolan is delighted to have emerged from a dark period earlier this season when he was sent off twice within days.

After his match-winning brace defeated Swansea last weekend, Nolan repeated the feat in a 2-0 win at Aston Villa on Saturday, bagging his double in the first three minutes of the second half, to banish lingering memories of his two moments of madness.

"I've worked with the gaffer since I was 17 years old and I can't thank him enough for everything he's done for me, especially over the last month when it's been really tough," Nolan told the club's official website.

"I really knew when that happened on New Year's Day that the lads and the gaffer had my back, and I was overwhelmed by it.

"The last couple of weeks, with the goals, that's my little way of trying to give a bit back for the support they've given me.

"If I can keep chipping away and get a few more goals then hopefully that'll be a little way of paying back the stupidity that I suffered over the last month."