After playing nearly fifty league games for Nottingham Forest, Noel Simpson had made 258 league appearances for Coventry City when he signed for Exeter City aged thirty-four in 1957. Playing all of his thirty-odd games for the Grecians in the same calendar year he subsequently announced his retirement from professional football. 

Noel was 22-years-old when he signed his first professional contract for Nottingham Forest in May 1945 ahead of featuring in 47 league matches (scoring three goals) before a £5,000 move to Coventry City in August 1948 where he was to spend the bulk of his playing career amassing 258 league appearances with another three goals. 

Arriving at Exeter City in February 1957 for a fee of £1,000, the 34-year-old brought a wealth of experience as he went straight into the side for the 5-3 defeat at Queen’s Park Rangers on 9 February 1957. Ever-present for the rest of the season, Noel started the next season in the team and appeared in 17 of the first 18 league games of the 1957/58 campaign before the 6-1 defeat at former club Coventry City on 9 November 1957. 

Placed on the transfer list at the end of the season, he retired from playing and died in Kirkby-in-Ashfield in 1987.