West Ham confirmed the signing of Nolan on 16 June 2011 for an undisclosed fee on a five-year contract, taking over the vacant number 4 shirt. Due to the departure of the previous West Ham captain, Matthew Upson, who moved to Stoke City, Nolan was immediately made captain. His league debut came on 7 August 2011 in a 1–0 home defeat to Cardiff City. Nolan scored his first goal for West Ham on 13 August 2011 in a 1–0 away win against Doncaster Rovers; his first home goal coming on 26 November, when scored a 25-yard volley in a 3–1 win against Derby County. On 7 May 2012 en route to the play-off final at Wembley, Nolan scored his thirteenth goal for the club against Cardiff City in a 3–0 win, sealing West Ham's Wembley appearance. On 19 May 2012 he captained West Ham in the 2012 Championship play-off Final against Blackpool. West Ham won the match 2–1 with goals from Carlton Cole and Ricardo Vaz Tê sending them back to the Premier League after a one-season absence.