Arsenal’s academy has seen several big name graduates but David Noble failed to deliver on the promise he once showed – previously being tipped to succeed Dennis Bergkamp
Jermaine Pennant admits he thought ex-academy team-mate David Noble could’ve been the “next Dennis Bergkamp” – but never delivered on his potential at Arsenal.
The ex-Premier League star played alongside a number of players who enjoyed top-flight careers, but Noble would never make an appearance in the top division. Instead he spent his career in the Football League, eventually dropping down to non-league.
Noble’s well-travelled career saw him head to West Ham, when they were in the second tier, after leaving Arsenal. He later went on to play for Bristol City, Yeovil, Exeter and Rotherham.
Pennant admits he wonders why the now retired Noble didn’t make more of his talent – questioning whether injuries or attitude played a part. The Arsenal academy has long produced some stellar names, but Noble is yet another example of a player who didn’t deliver on his potential.
Pennant, who was speaking at the launch of Ladbrokes’ “Gaffer of all Accas” said: “I look back at my teammates in the academy, and pretty much everyone went on to have pretty good careers. And the ones that didn’t really kick on, and maybe stayed in the lower tiers, were all probably fair.
“You know, if you look at who was in my team, there was myself, Jerome [Thomas], David Bentley, Steve Sidwell, Jeremie Aliadiere, Jay Bothroyd… these were all guys who went on to have successful careers at the top, playing in the Premier League. And you’d have identified all of us in that youth set-up at the time and said we’d have gone on to have good careers.
“There’s probably one player who springs to mind for me, who didn’t live up to the expectation: David Noble. I thought he was going to be the next Dennis Bergkamp. He was unbelievable. He could’ve had a huge career. I don’t know what happened there, really; I don’t know whether it was injuries, or a bit of bad luck, or was his heart really in it, to make it even further than he did?
“Yeah, he made it as a professional, but not as a Premier League player, and he easily could have. Did he really care? I don’t know. But he’s the one from that generation who surprises me, when I think about the career he could have gone on to have.”
Noble, who is now managing St Albans for a second time, once came to within 90 minutes of the Premier League. He scored a stunner for Bristol City as they downed Crystal Palace in the play-off semi-final back in 2008. However Hull ended their dreams at Wembley.
Whilst at Ashton Gate he enjoyed one of his two career promotions. The other coming with Rotherham. He was also an FA Youth Cup winner during his time with Arsenal.
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