Noble proud of new role at St Albans City as he gets set for life after playing days
David Noble is now a player-coach at St Albans City. Picture: BOB WALKLEY - Credit: Archant
St Albans City captain David Noble will add a coaching role to his responsibilities at the club – although he is not ready to retire from playing just yet.
The 35-year-old, who counts Arsenal, West Ham United, Bristol City and Exeter City among his former clubs, will take up the role immediately, alongside his playing duties.
It is something that he has been thinking about for a while but the opportunity will provide the push he needs to get things started.
He said: “I’m getting on, I’m not getting any younger that’s for sure, but I love football and coaching is definitely something I’m looking at for the future.
“I’m very proud that Ian and Lee have asked me to take up the role and it’s something I’m looking forward to.
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“I’ve not got the badges yet, I was always saying ‘I’ll do it next year’ but this is the kick-start I need.”
City manager Ian Allinson explained how the situation will work.
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“It’ll help with some of the stuff he does with the players on a Tuesday night,” he said.
“It allows myself or Lee to go and watch other teams plus it helps the next stage of his career.
“But first and foremost he’s very much part of what we want to do here on the playing side.”
Part of his job will be to try and lift St Albans out of their slump, something Noble knows has to happen quickly.
He said: “We’re in the middle of a bad spell and we need to do something to turn it around and we’ll do everything we can but against Bognor on Saturday was very disappointing.
“It’s been the story of the season really.
“We seem to play well in spells and not so well in others.
“And you can’t really afford to have as many bad spells as we’re having or you’ll get punished.
“It’s still early in the season though. We had a good start, and ok since then it’s not been so good, but there’s still plenty of time left.
“We’ll be doing everything we can to turn it around, that’s for sure.”
The visit of Poole Town on Saturday provides the first chance to change their fortunes.
And he knows that a cup run could be the perfect antidote to their league form.
He said: “Any positive result will be good. We need one and next week is a perfect time to start.”
