West Ham, captain Kevin Nolan mutually agree to part ways

West Ham United and Kevin Nolan have parted ways after mutually agreeing to terminate the 33-year-old's contract early.

Manager Slaven Bilic confirmed Nolan was allowed to leave because the club couldn't promise him regular first-team football.

Since joining West Ham from Newcastle United in 2011, the Scouser has been a great asset to the club. He skippered the side to play-off glory in his first season, returning the Hammers to the Premier League after a one-year absence.

He then helped West Ham establish itself back in the top flight, finishing the 2012-13 and 2013-14 campaigns as the club's top scorer despite being a midfielder.

Nolan, affectionately known as "Nobby," released a statement on the club website thanking everyone for "four fantastic years" and for helping his family settle down in London:

My boy speaks like a cockney now, so I don't know if I'll be moving back to Liverpool any time soon! Since I've come here it's felt like home and it's a real possibility that it'll be home for a long time so I thank everyone who has made that possible from inside the Club to all the players I've played with.