Teddy staying put will support a Noble cause

Mark Noble is hoping that Teddy Sheringham and West Ham can hammer out a deal to keep the former England international at the club.

Noble is one of the club's brightest young stars and the 18-year-old midfielder wants more time to learn from the former Tottenham and Manchester United striker in the Premiership next season.

But Sheringham, 39, is out of contract and after West Ham's promotion in the play-off final against Preston in Cardiff on Monday, he was not certain he would stay.

Sheringham wants to remain at Upton Park and manager Alan Pardew is keen to keep him so a deal should be done soon, but negotiations have not started.

Noble said: "I hope he stays because he is good to have around the place, but it is his decision.

"He has helped me so much this year and gives me advice all the time. I would not thank him to his face but I don't mind telling him this way."

Sheringham is one of several players due for negotiations with West Ham as Pardew tries to assemble a squad good enough to stay up.

He needs to strengthen in most positions but is releasing several of his older players, including 31-yearold defender Tomas Repka, midfielder Don Hutchison, 34, and striker Sergei Rebrov, who is 31 on Friday.

But while Pardew concentrates on how to spend his £15 million transfer kitty, Noble, a lifelong West Ham supporter, is still in Premiership dreamland.

He said: "Normally you want the summer holidays to go on and on but this time I cannot wait to come back. We will see how the fixtures come out and we can kick on from there.

"This is what I dreamed of as a little boy. I was in the stands at Upton Park when we were playing the Manchester Uniteds and Arsenals and now we are doing it again.

"To get to the Millennium Stadium and say we are playing in the Premiership is hard to believe. I am looking forward to every game and if we play like we can then we should stay up."

Shaun Newton, who is hopeful he can land a new deal to stay at West Ham next season, is under no illusions that the club could find it tough in the top flight.

The 29-year-old midfielder has been promoted via the play-offs three times - with Charlton, Wolves and West Ham - and knows it is a big step up that they have to make.

Newton said: "The Premiership is very unforgiving. You need to have a big squad and quality players. West Ham have a lot of players out of contract, they have got some money now but they cannot go too silly.

"Hopefully, the manager and the board will get it right. Pardew has proved himself and if they give him some money to spend who knows, but if his hands are tied behind his back we will have to see.

"I would like to stay. The set-up is fantastic and there are a lot of young players who deserve to be in playing in the Premiership, the way they have applied themselves this season.

"West Ham are producing players, left right and centre.

"They have had some move on to bigger things but hopefully the players still here next season will do themselves justice."

Among those who have left since relegation two years ago are Joe Cole and Jermain Defoe, but along with other big name Premiership stars they have sent text messages of congratulations.

Cole sent messages to Noble before and after the Preston victory, Rio Ferdinand kept in touch with younger brother Anton the same way and Chelsea's John Terry relayed congratulations to goalscorer Bobby Zamora via his mobile phone.

Noble said: "To be playing against Cole next season will be fantastic. When I first trained with him at West Ham he shook my hand and that meant a lot to me when I was 15.

"Now, hopefully, I can shake his hand after playing Chelsea and beating them in the Premiership."