Mark Noble drove to the wrong ground by mistake as West Ham get to grips with life at the London Stadium

Wrong turn.. but Noble is impressed by the club's new home
West Ham United FC/West Ham United via Getty Images
Standard Sport22 August 2016

Mark Noble admits that it will take a bit of time for West Ham and their fans to get use to the London Stadium, after admitting he has already driven to their former haunts by mistake.

The Hammers captained explained how, on route for their Europa League clash with NK Domzale – the first competitive match at their new stadium - he switched into auto-pilot and drove towards the old Boleyn Ground, the club’s home for 112 years.

“It’s really weird when you drive past the turn-off you used to take. I got it wrong the first time but I ­obviously knew the back roads, so that helped me out,” he told the Mirror.

“You know when you’re on the phone and you’re talking – handsfree, of course, Bluetooth – you get in auto-pilot.

“I ended up on the Barking Road.

"I could see Upton Park, so I stayed on it and drove all the way to Canning Town, then did a right towards ­Stratford. But now I know the route I go a different way, a quicker way.

"Because we’ve only played a European tie there and the friendly against Juventus it doesn’t seem real yet. Hopefully by Sunday it will feel like a proper home.

West Ham take on Bournemouth this afternoon – a match you can follow live on Standard Sport – in what will be the club’s first Premier League game at the London Stadium.

In Pictures: West Ham's first match at the London Stadium

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The Hammers lost their home encounter with the Cherries last season, and Noble hopes for rip-roaring atmosphere in Stratford.

“The tiles are a bit newer but a changing room is a changing room, a pitch is still a pitch with green grass and white lines and goals. It’s just the noise when we come out, the noise and the bubbles, that’s a bit of a bonus.

"Actually, when they sing 'Bubbles' it’s louder, but we’re going to need that all the time win, lose or draw.

"That’s part and parcel of supporting West Ham and I feel I can say that because I’ve been there since I was a kid.

“I’ve paid for tickets, I’ve snuck in... As I’m pretty sure loads of people have — I had family members working on the gates, so they used to let me in.”

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