Tom Nolan (footballer, born 1909)

Thomas Gerard Nolan (13 June 1909 – 1969) was an English footballer, noted for his powerful cannonball shots.

Tom Nolan

Personal information
Full name	Thomas Gerard Nolan[1]
Date of birth	13 June 1909[1]
Place of birth	Preston, England[1]
Date of death	1969 (aged 59–60)[1]
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+)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing 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, though he still managed to 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]

Statistics

Source:[2]

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. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 215. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
2. Tom Nolan at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)