NEW Wealdstone boss David Noble says the chance to manage in the National League couldn’t be turned down – but he admits the call came as a complete surprise.
The 41-year-old has left St Albans City to take up the Stones’ vacancy left last week by Stuart Maynard, who joined League Two Notts County.
Noble, who has signed a twoand-a-half year deal, guided the Saints to the National League promotion final last season where they were ultimately beaten by Oxford City.
But the chance to step up now was impossible to ignore.
“It’s been a whirlwind couple of days,” Noble, who took a watching brief for yesterday’s game against FC Halifax Town, said. “Completely out of the blue. It wasn’t something I was expecting but it was a nice surprise.
“I am going to have to catch up quickly. I will focus totally on the task in hand and, up until yesterday (Thursday), that was St Albans. But I will quickly get up to speed. Rory (chairman Rory Fitzgerald) has been filling me in. I saw the boys last night and liked what I saw.
“Every manager wants to manage at the highest level they can and I was flattered to get the opportunity to manage in the National League. It’s one I’m relishing.”
Noble only made the move from player to manager in September 2022 when he took on the Saints’ interim role following Ian Allinson’s departure. That became permanent in November as they went on to finish sixth.
The former Bristol City and Exeter City midfielder had a long playing career and has made a swift transition into management. But he will have even more coaching experience alongside him in the dug-out in Arsene Wenger’s former first-team coach Neil Banfield.
“That’s a real big coup for me,” Noble said of the former QPR and Rangers coach. “Twenty-six years
