| Tom Nolan | |
| Fullname: | Thomas Gerard Nolan |
| Birth Date: | 13 June 1909 |
| Birth Place: | Preston, England |
| Height: | 5 ft 10+1/2 in[1] |
| Position: | Centre-forward |
| Youthclubs1: | Preston Catholic College |
| Clubs1: | Preston North End |
| Clubs2: | Manchester Central |
| Years3: | 1931–1935 |
| Clubs3: | Port Vale |
| Caps3: | 107 |
| Goals3: | 52 |
| Years4: | 1935–1936 |
| Clubs4: | Bradford Park Avenue |
| Caps4: | 36 |
| Goals4: | 14 |
| Years5: | 1936–1940 |
| Clubs5: | Port Vale |
| Caps5: | 94 |
| Goals5: | 35 |
| Totalcaps: | 237+ |
| Totalgoals: | 103+ |
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.[2]
Nolan played for Preston North End and Manchester Central before joining Port Vale in October 1931.[3] 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.[3] 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.[3]
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.[3] He was the club's top-scorer for a second successive season in 1934–35, hitting 16 goals in 40 games.[3] However, he was transferred to Bradford Park Avenue in July 1935.[3] 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.[3] The "Valiants" had been relegated to the Third Division North in his absence.[3] He hit 12 goals in 41 appearances in 1936–37, including a hat-trick over eventual league champions Stockport County.[3] 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.[3] He hit 17 goals in 41 games in 1938–39 to become the club's top-scorer for a fourth time.[3] In February 1940, Nolan retired from the game due to his war duties.[3] In his two spells with Port Vale, he scored 96 goals in 221 appearances over all competitions.[3]
Source:
| 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 | |||