Tom Nolan (footballer, born 1909)

Tom Nolan
Personal information
Full name Thomas Gerard Nolan[1]
Date of birth (1909-06-13)13 June 1909[1]
Place of birth Preston, England[1]
Date of death 1969 (aged 59–60)[1]
Height 5 ft 10+1⁄2 in (1.79 m)[2]
Position(s) Centre-forward
Youth career
Preston Catholic College
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Preston North End
Manchester Central
1931–1935 Port Vale 107 (52)
1935–1936 Bradford Park Avenue 36 (14)
1936–1940 Port Vale 94 (35)
Total 237+ (103+)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Thomas Gerard Nolan (13 June 1909 – 1969) was an English footballer, noted for his powerful cannonball shots. He was Port Vale's most prolific forward of the 1930s.[3]

Career

Nolan played for Preston North End and Manchester Central before joining Port Vale in October 1931.[1] He hit 11 goals in 21 games to become the club's top-scorer, helping the "Valiants" to remain in the Second Division on goal average.[1] Nolan then scored eight goals in 17 appearances in 1932–33, including a hat-trick in a 4–1 win over Plymouth Argyle at The Old Recreation Ground on 29 April.[1]

In the 1933–34 season, he scored 22 goals in 32 appearances, including hat-tricks in home wins over Bury, Hull City, and Nottingham Forest.[1] He was the club's top-scorer for a second successive season in 1934–35, hitting 16 goals in 40 games.[1] However, he was transferred to Bradford Park Avenue in July 1935.[1] He hit 17 goals in 42 league appearances at Park Avenue, before he returned to Port Vale in a trade for George Stabb in September 1936.[1] The "Valiants" had been relegated to the Third Division North in his absence.[1] He hit 12 goals in 41 appearances in 1936–37, including a hat-trick over eventual league champions Stockport County.[1] He was dropped at the start of the 1937–38 campaign in favour of Jack Roberts. However, he still hit the net seven times in his 20 appearances.[1] He hit 17 goals in 41 games in 1938–39 to become the club's top-scorer for a fourth time.[1] In February 1940, Nolan retired from the game due to his war duties.[1] In his two spells with Port Vale, he scored 96 goals in 221 appearances over all competitions.[1]

Career statistics

Source:[4]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Port Vale 1931–32 Second Division 19 8 2 3 0 0 21 11
1932–33 Second Division 17 8 0 0 0 0 17 8
1933–34 Second Division 32 22 0 0 0 0 32 22
1934–35 Second Division 39 16 1 0 0 0 40 16
Total 107 54 3 3 0 0 110 57
Bradford Park Avenue 1935–36 Second Division 35 14 6 3 0 0 41 17
1936–37 Second Division 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Total 36 14 6 3 0 0 42 17
Port Vale 1936–37 Third Division North 37 11 1 0 3 1 41 12
1937–38 Third Division North 18 7 1 0 1 0 20 7
1938–39 Third Division South 39 17 2 0 0 0 41 17
Total 94 35 4 0 4 1 102 36
Career total 237 103 13 6 4 1 254 110

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 215. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. ^ "Bradford. Backs wanted. Directors show no lack of enterprise". Sunday Dispatch Football Guide. London. 23 August 1936. p. vii – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Fielding, Rob (15 April 2021). "Five of the best - Port Vale strikers of the 1930s". onevalefan.co.uk. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  4. ^ Tom Nolan at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)