NOBBY'S NAILED HIS NEW ROLE

DAVID NOBLE can pinpoint the exact moment when the extent of his managerial responsibilities at St Albans City suddenly dawned on him.

- Jon Couch

“It was when I had to come off the lads’ group chat,” laughed the rookie Saints boss, now appropriately distanced from the teammates he has taken to within 90 minutes of promotion in his first season in charge.

“I’d just been named as interim player/manager and realised that I was still on it, so I thought it best to ask them to take me off.”

For context, this was just a few weeks into pre-season last summer when Noble decided to unceremoniously end a glittering playing career which took in over 300 Football League appearances at the likes of Exeter City, Bristol City and Rotherham United.

At the age of 40, and after six years at Clarence Park, Noble was still registered as a player when he took over as interim boss following the departure of Ian Allinson last September.

“It was difficult to make the transition, I still find it hard now,” explained the Hitchin-born midfielder affectionately known as ‘Nobby’, who uniquely played for both England and Scotland development sides. “I was a teammate before, now I had to earn their respect as a manager. You have to have that separation.