Top 5 West Ham Captains In The Premier League Era – Including Arsenal, Chelsea And Man Utd Target

West Ham United are a proud club – one of the proudest in England. As such, the title of West Ham captain brings with it a n air of responsibility.

Today, we’ll be looking at five of the best West Ham captains in the Premier League era, from 1992 to the present day. One of the players on our list is a current Arsenal transfer target – can you guess who it is?

Largely, we won’t be taking player quality into account for this list. While it certainly helps, the primary criteria we’ll be looking at stems from leadership qualities and determination on the pitch.

Lucas Neill

Lucas Neill was one of the key reasons for West Ham’s dramatic survival story in 2007 – sure, the acquisition of a certain Carlos Tevez certainly helped, but Neill was no less crucial than the Argentinian hitman.

A dogged defender, Neill knew every trick in the book and when to use them. He was unceremoniously selected as Hammers captain after the departure of Nigel Reo-coker, but he took the mantle with vigour.

He wasn’t necessarily the right man at the right time – but he made it work. A nomadic player, Neill spent time at a host of other clubs, such as Millwall, Everton and Doncaster Rovers.

Declan Rice

The current West Ham United captain takes the number four spot on our list. Declan Rice may be the best player of the bunch here, but is he the best leader? We don’t think so.

Of course, Rice’s ability as a footballer should not be called into question – he is a regular in the England team for several reasons. As a captain, though, the 24-year-old can be somewhat voiceless at times.

The current crop of West Ham players often look lost out there, especially when trailing a game. On the other hand, when they are playing well, the Arsenal, Chelsea and Man United linked Rice is almost always the catalyst for their performance.

Steve Potts

Younger Hammers fans may not know who we’re talking about here – and that’s a hell of a shame. A genuine West Ham legend, he played for the Irons from 1985 to 2002.

One of the Premier League’s great utility players, Pottsy often found himself being deployed as a centre-back, despite being just 5ft 7. Nevertheless, he did a great job wherever he found himself.

Potts’ ability to play anywhere on the pitch added to his captaincy – he was always willing to throw himself into unfamiliar territory. He led by example – as a good captain should.

Kevin Nolan

Kevin Nolan is, in our opinion, one of the most underrated footballers of the last 20 years. Always a hard worker, the boyhood Liverpool fan was perhaps a tad hot-blooded on occasions – but it made him a great captain.

The players always had respect for a player of Nolan’s seniority and ability. Outside of West Ham, Nolan played for clubs such as Newcastle United, Bolton Wanderers and Notts County.

Nolan’s West Ham career didn’t end as Irons fans may have hoped – his last season was marred by suspensions and poor performances – but he was nevertheless a great player when on form and is part of David Moyes’ coaching staff at the club today.

Mark Noble

If we had put anyone else in the top spot, Hammers fans from across the globe would’ve likely never listened to us ever again – and for good reason! Mark Noble is a bonafide Irons legend, with plenty of talent to back it up.

One of the most popular West Ham players of all time, Noble never gave anything less than 100%. He loved the Hammers – his passion for the club was visible on every single match day.

As a player, Noble was serviceable – an energetic midfielder with decent passing ability. As a captain? He’s arguably one of the best the Premier League has ever seen. Mark Noble was a true leader of men.