Noble: 'Emotions were high and tension boiled over'

West Ham's 3-0 defeat at the hands of Burnley on Saturday was marred by disgruntled fan behaviour. Supporters have been unimpressed with the board recently and took to the stadium to express their anger, with pitch invasions, protests underneath the Directors' box and chanting their desire to go home to Upton Park.

Captain Mark Noble, confronted a pitch invader and tackled him to the ground during the match. The 30-year-old midfielder duly spoke with reporters after the match to explain the situation and express his feelings regarding the club.

He said that the defeat was particularly ''hard for [him] personally because [as] a West Ham fan [him]self, the results affect [him] more than anyone else.''

He added: ''It is not that I [just] support the club, it is actually that I love the club. It has been my home since aged 10 and I was brought up here. If I never play for the club again I am still going to feel the way that I feel about it just because I am born and bred here.''

When questioned about the pitch invader, Noble said: ''I am a footballer. I play for West Ham. I always have done. But I am a person and if someone approaches me – obviously my emotions were high anyway as we had just conceded a goal – but yeah, I will protect myself.''

He also absolved the invader of any blame, instead acknowledging that emotions were heightened and the tension just boiled over. ''I am not going to even blame the fella who did it. His emotions were high - same as mine on the pitch. He ran on the pitch and I wouldn't say I felt threatened but if someone approaches me I am going to look after myself.''

Noble added that although his father was present and was ''not too happy'', he was grateful that his wife and children were not party to the atmosphere in the stadium.

The 'Hammers' captain also divulged that given his life-long affinity for the club, played a role: ''Results affect my everyday life massively. I have said this before. If we win you don't mind going out to a restaurant with the wife and having a glass of wine. But when you lose you don't want to talk to anyone, especially the last couple of seasons, it has been a lot tougher.''

The midfielder is unlikely to face retrospective action over his behaviour, despite having to be held back by goalkeeper Joe Hart, on loan from Manchester City.

Noble, though, praised the referee's decision making saying that: ''Lee Mason was really good. He said to me that 'I will have to do something' but he used his common sense. I don't think he booked me did he? He said to me: 'Look Mark you were sort of protecting yourself really.' He used some common sense and just let it go.''

West Ham will now be hoping to remain in the Premier League and reassess the future of the club in the summer.