bˈɔːɹn ɪn bɹˈædfɚd, wˈɛst ɹˈaɪdɪŋ ʌv jˈɔːɹkʃɚ, dˈɑːlæn ɛksˈɛld æt bˈoʊθ fˈʊtbɔːl ænd ɹˈʌɡbi jˈuːniən dˈʊɹɹɪŋ hɪz skˈuːldeɪz ænd dʒˈɔɪnd bɹˈædfɚd sˈɪɾi æz ɐn ɐsˈoʊsɪˌeɪt skˈuːlbɔɪ ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti sˈɪks bᵻfˌoːɹ sˈaɪnɪŋ æz ɐn ˈæmətʃɚɹ ɐ jˈɪɹ lˈeɪɾɚ.
Born in Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, Dolan excelled at both football and rugby union during his schooldays and joined Bradford City as an associate schoolboy in 1966 before signing as an amateur a year later.