Nolan Tommy Image 1 Port Vale 1934

Description

Preston, Lancashire born centre forward Tommy Nolan began his football career with Preston Catholic College in 1926, playing for Preston Thursday in 1927 and joining the books of Preston North End as an amateur in March 1928 without featuring for the first team. He joined Manchester Central later in 1928 and three years later was signed by Second Division Port Vale in October 1931, making his Football League debut the same month against Southampton in a 0-0 draw at The Old Recreation Ground. He soon established himself at Port Vale scoring 11 goals in 21 appearances in his debut season to finish as the club’s top scorer.

Described as “Well built, he has a good turn of speed coupled with a super shot”, he was again their top scorer in 1933-34 and 1934-35 with 22 goals and 16 goals respectively before being sold to Bradford Park Avenue in July 1935 after 71 goals in 110 appearances. He hit 17 goals in 41 appearances for The Avenue including a goal in each of his first three games for the club, again finishing as the club’s top scorer, but returned to Port Vale in September 1936 after just a single game for Bradford in the new campaign, playing three further seasons for Vale through to the summer of 1939 and the outbreak of the Second World War, which effectively ended his career. By then he had added a further 36 goals in 102 appearances to his previous total at Vale Park.