West Ham captain Mark Noble has welcomed the return of Kevin Nolan.

The 37-year-old spent five years with the Hammers as a player and has just joined the coaching staff.

“It's obviously really nice to have a familiar face around the place," Noble told the Evening Standard. “I think Kev will be great with the players. He's been a manager himself now and he was here for a long time, so he knows the Club really well. I just think it's good to have some familiar faces around who know the Club and know what the fans expect and, to be honest, when I heard about it I thought it was good from the manager to get someone in who is really eager to get back into football.

“I spoke to Kev on Wednesday night [before he returned to Rush Green on Thursday morning] and he was really pleased, and he is really looking forward to get back in.

“I think we all know his leadership qualities. Kev never really got the recognition for what a good footballer and finisher he was. We had four really good seasons together with promotion and in the Premier League and when I look back over my career, I will see him as a player who never really got the credit he deserved for how good he was.

“He was never going to be one of those who did stepovers but, for what he did in games, the goals he scored and the chances he created, he was invaluable. He did it at Bolton, at Newcastle and here with us. I remember in training thinking 'If he gets a chance, he's going to score' because his finishing was so good and I'm hoping he can spend some time with the midfielders and strikers and have a go for us."