Mark Noble's return to football's front line as West Ham's sporting director is a welcome encore for one of the game's good guys.
But after 18 years as a player, if fans think he is just going to be a cheerleader in a suit, they could not be more mistaken. The sporting director's role at a football club now comes with almost as much pressure as the manager or head coach – and I should know, because my job at Macclesfield is unrelenting, unforgiving and 24/7.
It's also frustrating, time-consuming and draining when you get it wrong – and not to be confused with an ambassador, who meets and greets supporters or sponsors on matchdays. You are the link between the board and the manager, and you need to work with people you can trust.
