Mark Noble lifts the lid on surprise timeline for West Ham’s next major London Stadium upgrade

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West Ham United captain Mark Noble has lifted the lid on when the club is planning its next major London Stadium upgrade.

The Hammers proudly showed off their new claret pitch surround in the draw with Leicester City last time out.

The new carpet has divided opinion among fans.

Some think it looks great while others feel it is the equivalent of a sticky plaster on a gaping wound.

Fans divided over new claret carpet

Hammers star Robert Snodgrass believes it actually helps the players, read full story here.

It took a lengthy battle with London Stadium operators E20. But West Ham finally got their wish to replace the green pitch surround with a claret one.

It comes after the club announced plans to supporters that it intends to study the possibility of changing the seating arrangement in the bowl shaped stadium (whufc.com).

London Stadium seating remodel mooted

“The concept, which has initially been presented to a meeting of West Ham United’s Official Supporters’ Board, will bring the vast majority of fans in the lower tiers of both stands closer to the pitch, many by more than four metres, with the stand being squared-off in line with a more traditional football stadium configuration behind the goals,” West Ham said on the club’s official website back in February.

The plans were well received by fans. But no timeline was put on any potential changes.

And speculation suggested fans would have to wait until the 2020/21 season.

Now speaking in his column in The Evening Standard, captain Mark Noble delivered his verdict on the claret carpet.

Noble reveals surprise timeline for ‘squared off’ stands

And the skipper also appears to have revealed the club fully intends on pushing through the seating arrangement remodel in time for next season.

“The new claret-and-blue pitch surround made a big difference and was even better than I thought it would be,” Noble told The Evening Standard.

“There is still more to do and the plan is to bring some seats closer to the pitch next season. But the new carpet gave all us players a new and much-improved perspective.”