Born
London 08/05/87
Position
Central midfield
Nickname
Everyone calls me Nobes - they always have done. Some people don't even know my first name.
Club supported as a boy
West Ham. I'm from Canning Town, so naturally all my family are mental West Ham fans. I used to go and watch them with my dad when I was a kid.
Strengths
Passing and tackling. I used to try a few more skills when I broke into the team but I've developed into a holding midfielder these days. I reckon it's my best position now.
Weaknesses
I treat everything as a weakness and work on making it stronger.
I play a bit like...
Steven Gerrard or Paul Scholes. They're the guys I've always looked up to.
Highlights
I'm only 20 but I've had a few highlights already. I played 20 minutes in the FA Cup final, but to stay up last season when no one thought we could was amazing.
Lowlights
Losing the FA Cup at the last gasp was horrible and that Tottenham game when we lost 4-3 was really shattering, too. But the worst part of my career so far has been having to cope with injury and not being selected in the team. I hate to miss out.
Toughest opponent
Paul Scholes. He's been there and done it all, so inventive and hard to tie down. It's great to test yourself against guys like him.
Best player played with
Last season Carlos Tevez was amazing.
Biggest influence
Teddy Sheringham has always been there with advice. I count him as a friend - though I stay out of his card schools. My dad has been another big factor in my progress. He's been there from the moment I first kicked a ball.
Best advice given
I made my debut, played a couple of games and then the manager said he was going to rest me. I was a bit down but Chris Powell came over and said to me, "No matter where you are, you always need to be ready." The next game, someone got injured and I came on after three minutes. If I'd been sulking I might not have been ready without his advice.
Biggest practical joker
Has to be Bobby Zamora.
Latest car
I've got a Rimini red Range Rover Sport with a cream interior.
Flicks
Scarface or Rocky III.
Chicks
Kelly Brook.
TV programmes
I watch Prison Break but I'm not that big a fan of telly. If I do watch, it's usually live sport: golf, tennis, motor racing...
If you hadn't been a footballer...
Oh, Jesus. I'd have probably ended up working with my dad's mates. I don't even like to think about that!
Tell us something we don't know
There's things I don't even know about myself.
With my first pay packet I bought...
A Compaq laptop. I wanted something I could take away, watch DVDs on and connect to the internet.
If I could play alongside any player...
It would be Steven Gerrard. He has so much ability and drive.
School report
They weren't bad, but me and school just didn't get on.
Describe yourself in five words
Confident, enthusiastic, streetwise, funny. Can I have good-looking?
If I could have one superpower...
To pull any woman. Is that a superpower?
Most embarrassing moment
When West Ham got promoted, we were stood up on the balcony at the stadium, getting cheered by thousands of fans. As I held up the trophy, one of the boys pulled down my shorts.
In five years' time...
I want to break into the senior squad for England and push for Europe with West Ham. That, and stay healthy.
From the October 2007 issue of FourFourTwo.
