Kevin Nolan has said that West Ham United had a "great first week" of pre-season training.

The Hammers captain believes that the team was one of the first from the top flight to begin their pre-season programme, facing Cork City at the weekend.

The 31-year-old told the team's website: "I have to say Cork was one of the nicest set-ups I've been to. The pitches were fantastic, the weather wasn't too hot and the facilities on site were fantastic. They couldn't do enough for us. All in all it was a great first week.

"The main thing that has changed is that you come back to balls now. You never used to see a football for a week and you used to run until you were sick! That was the old-school mentality but it has all moved on from that.

"You can see from the owners and what the gaffer wants, and with the signing of the big man Andy Carroll, there's only one way that we're going in the league and I want to be a major part of that. I want to get this club back in the higher ranks of the Premier League, which is where I truly and firmly believe it belongs."

West Ham face Conference South side Boreham Wood this evening.