Fulham's Nobleman

Stuart Noble was a name that few Fulham fans would have heard of before Wednesday evening's reserve match against Ipswich Town. But the 18 year old Academy striker, who replaced Andrejs Stolcers on 77 minutes, wasted little time in getting his name on the score sheet.

After putting the match beyond Ipswich with a superb solo goal, many fans will no doubt be asking questions about the latest player emerging from the Academy.

Speaking to Fulham Today, Academy Director Steve Kean revealed more about Noble.

"He's a strong player who's quick over the first few yards. The fans would probably liken him to Geoff Horsfield. We've been working on his technical side a lot and if we can keep working on him we'll continue to see dramatic improvements. Hopefully he'll become a quick, strong player with a good touch."

"I'm delighted for Stuart because he's been working hard and doing really well at under-19 level. He scored 27 goals last season and that was his 12th of the current season. When somebody's in a rich vein of form it's always good to play them at a higher level. Against Ipswich he came on, showed a bit of skill and finished well on his weaker foot."