23rd December 1922

Mansfield, Nottinghamshire

Half-Back

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 announced his retirement from professional football. 

He was 22-years-old when he signed his first professional contract for Nottingham Forest in May 1945. He was to feature in 47 league matches for them, scoring three goals. A not inconsiderable transfer fee at that time of £5,000 took him to Coventry City in August 1948, where he was to spend the vast majority of his playing career, He amassed 258 league outings for Coventry and scored three goals.

It was that sort of league experience that persuaded Exeter City to sign the then 34-year old in February 1957 for a fee of £1,000. He played his first game for the club in an exciting 5-3 defeat at Queen’s Park Rangers and was ever present for the rest of the season. His last game for the Grecians was ironically against his former club, Coventry City at Highfield Road which the hosts won 6-1

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

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