Kevin Anthony Jance Nolan (born 24 June 1982) is an English former footballer and manager who was most recently manager of Northampton Town. He has represented England at under-21 level.
After growing up in Toxteth, Liverpool, Nolan signed for Bolton Wanderers at the age of 16. Part of the team that beat Preston North End in the 2001 First Division play-offs to gain promotion to the Premier League, he soon became a regular first-team player for the club. He scored as Bolton beat rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford in both of his first two seasons in the top tier of English football, as well as important goals that helped Bolton regularly finish in the top half of the Premier League table.
Nolan was also a first team regular as Bolton qualified for the UEFA Cup for the first time in the club's history—where they reached the knockout stages. Following the departure of Jay-Jay Okocha in 2006, Nolan was appointed as the team captain, and he led the team again to UEFA Cup qualification and, again, eventual progression to the knockout round of the competition.
Following the arrival of Gary Megson as Bolton manager, the team's and Nolan's performances were criticised by a section of the club's fans. This resulted in the midfielder completing a £4 million transfer to Newcastle United in the January 2009 transfer window. The team were relegated to the Championship at the end of the season, but his performances the following season were widely praised, as he scored 18 goals—including the first hat-trick of his career—to help the club gain promotion back to the Premier League as the division's champions. Following promotion, Nolan was promoted to club captain.
In the summer of 2011 Nolan joined West Ham United on a five-year contract, joining up again with Sam Allardyce, his former manager at Bolton. He was appointed captain soon after his arrival and led the team to an instant return to the Premier League. Nolan left West Ham United by mutual consent in August 2015, and the following January he took over as player-manager at Leyton Orient, losing his managerial role in April. In January 2017, he took the same position at Notts County. On 26 August 2018, Nolan parted company with Notts County.
Born on 24 June 1982 in Liverpool, Merseyside, Nolan was brought up by a football-playing family in Toxteth, and wanted to be a footballer from a young age. He attended Liverpool Blue Coat School and by 1996 was playing for the City of Liverpool's schoolboys team. As a child, he supported Celtic and Liverpool, although conversely, his favourite players were Eric Cantona and Lee Sharpe of Manchester United.
Nolan was invited to a Bolton Wanderers youth team training session by a friend, and was soon signed up to the club's books. At the age of 16, he was handed a year-to-year contract, coinciding with the opening of Bolton's academy. A year later, he signed professional terms and made his first team debut. He played the whole match as Bolton Wanderers beat Preston North End in the First Division play-off, winning promotion to the Premier League.
In the 2001–02 season, his first in the Premier League, Nolan scored eight league goals, including two at Leicester City on the opening day of the season. He also scored Bolton's first goal as they beat Manchester United 2–1 at Old Trafford. The following season, he scored at Old Trafford again; Nolan's only goal of the season was the winner at Old Trafford in the game which saw Bolton record their second shock win at the ground in as many seasons, this time winning 1–0. Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson was reported to have been seen scouting Nolan. Despite that win early in the season, the club were only saved from relegation from the Premier League on the final day of the season with a win against Middlesbrough.
In the 2003–04 season, Nolan's goals against Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur helped Bolton finish eighth in the league. He also scored as the club beat Villa 5–2 in the semi-finals of the League Cup, and was part of the team that was defeated 2–1 by Middlesbrough in the final. Despite this defeat, Nolan's goals—a career-best 12 in all competitions—helped Bolton to their highest top flight finishing position in over forty years.
The following season, Nolan was part of the team who reached the FA Cup quarter-final, before being defeated by Arsenal at the Reebok Stadium. Bolton also progressed in the league, with a 1–1 draw with Portsmouth in the final game of the season, and Nolan's four league goals helping to secure UEFA Cup qualification for the first time in their history. The club reached the last 32 of the UEFA Cup the following season; Nolan's goal in the first round defeat of Lokomotiv Plovdiv helped them through the group stages. He scored the winner as the club overcame Zenit St. Petersburg 1–0 in the group stages, and a further nine in the league to help Bolton finish eighth, missing out on European qualification.
The 2006–07 season saw Nolan take over from the departed Jay-Jay Okocha as club captain. His three league goals helped Bolton to again qualify for the UEFA Cup. Nolan's long throw-in set up a goal, which helped Bolton draw 2–2 away to German champions Bayern Munich, who dominated the match. Despite reaching the first knockout round, Bolton's league form suffered as they were pulled into a relegation fight, eventually finishing the season one point above the relegation zone in 16th. Nolan scored in the 2–0 win over Sunderland in May that virtually secured the club's Premier League status.
Having made 323 league appearances for the club, in January 2009 following perceived criticism of his performances by some of the club's supporters, Nolan began talks with representatives of Newcastle United over a move to the north-east club.
On 29 January 2009, Newcastle agreed a £4 million fee with Bolton Wanderers, and Nolan completed his move that the same day, signing a 4+1⁄2-year contract. On 22 February, Nolan received his first red card playing for Newcastle United in a home match against Everton for a two-footed foul on Victor Anichebe. At the end of the season, Newcastle were relegated to the English Championship. Nolan was noted as one of the more vocal Newcastle players over the summer, demanding an end to the off the field distractions at the club, and suggesting the club should be looking to acquire players for an immediate return to the Premier League.
Nolan played a key role in Newcastle's push for promotion the following season; he scored his first league goal for Newcastle on 22 August against Crystal Palace, and the first hat-trick of his career, as part of a 4–0 away win against Ipswich Town on 26 September.
Nolan captained Newcastle for the first time in a 5–1 win against Cardiff City taking over for the absent Nicky Butt and Alan Smith. After an 11-game goal drought, Nolan picked up his 11th league goal of the season on 20 February against Preston North End in a 3–0 win. He followed this up with the final goal in Newcastle's 6–1 home drubbing of Barnsley two games later. He was voted as the Championship Player of the Year at the Football League Awards on 16 March. On 5 April 2010, Newcastle United secured automatic promotion to the Premier League, after fellow contenders Nottingham Forest failed to beat Cardiff City. Newcastle took to the field hours later, in front of 48,750 fans, and Nolan scored the winner with a scissor-kick in the 2–1 win over Sheffield United.
Nolan was named as the new Newcastle United club captain for the 2010–11 season, succeeding the retired Nicky Butt. Nolan scored his first goals of the season as he netted a brace in Newcastle's 6–0 win against Aston Villa in their first home game. On 31 October 2010, Nolan scored his first Premier League hat-trick, achieving the feat in the Tyne–Wear derby against Sunderland in a 5–1 home win. Nolan scored the opener against Liverpool in new manager Alan Pardew's first game in charge on 11 December 2010, which Newcastle went on to win 3–1. Nolan scored the opening goal in the second derby of the season against Sunderland on 16 January, which finished 1–1. On 26 February 2011, Nolan scored his 50th Premier League goal, against his former club, Bolton Wanderers at St James' Park, which finished 1–1.