Early career Born in
Newcastle upon Tyne,
Tyne and Wear, He played for
Wallsend Boys Club, a well respected youth side. Novak started his senior career with Scottish side
Gretna, before returning to Newcastle to play in the
Northern Premier League for
Newcastle Blue Star in August 2007, alongside former Gretna teammates Daniel Lowson, Darren Casson and
David Nicholls. He scored a hat-trick for Blue Star in a game against
Ossett Albion. Whilst with Blue Star he had unsuccessful trials with
Stockport County and
Preston North End. He was transfer-listed by his own request in July 2008 after scoring 27 goals in the
2007–08 season. He considered moving to Australia, before he was eventually signed by
Conference North side
Gateshead for £3,500 plus another player (a 10% sell-on clause was also inserted). Eighteen days later he claimed another hat-trick in a 3–2 victory over
King's Lynn at the
Gateshead International Stadium. He was named as the
Conference North player of the month in November 2008.
Huddersfield Town manager
Lee Clark signed Novak in January 2009 after Novak had scored 17 goals in 21 games for Gateshead in the first part of the 2008–09 season; the deal was an initial £50,000, which would rise by another £100,000 if he met appearance targets at Huddersfield. As part of the deal, he returned to Gateshead on loan until the end of the season. Novak agreed to join Huddersfield after resisting numerous approaches by
Scunthorpe United manager
Nigel Adkins, who made a bid of £90,000. Novak made a further 17 appearances, scoring 11 goals, and helped Gateshead to the Conference North play-off final. Novak played in the final as winger Wayne Phillips scored the only goal in the 1–0 win over
AFC Telford United to promote Gateshead to the
Conference Premier. Novak finished the season as top-scorer in the Conference North with 26 league goals. At the end of the season he was voted the club's Player of the Year.
Huddersfield Town In July 2009, he gained media attention after being involved with a punch-up with
Fabricio Coloccini in a pre-season friendly against
Newcastle United. The fight occurred at the end of a what was described as a "feisty game" that Newcastle manager
Chris Hughton said demonstrated the "competitiveness" of both sides. He made his debut for Huddersfield as a
substitute in a 2–2 draw against
Southend United at
Roots Hall on 8 August 2009, where he set up the equalising goal. He made his first competitive start three days later in a 3–1 win over
Stockport County in the
League Cup. On 18 August, he scored his first goal (a
penalty) for the "Terriers", in a 7–1 win over
Brighton & Hove Albion. He secured a regular place in the starting 11 alongside
Jordan Rhodes. He scored in four consecutive
League One games from 24 November to 12 December, claiming goals against
Swindon Town,
Tranmere Rovers,
Leeds United, and
Gillingham. He suffered a knee injury during a game against
Norwich City on 13 March, forcing him to miss Huddersfield's next five games. Novak returned to action with three stoppage time goals in four appearances off the bench including the winning goal against
Walsall, a penalty during stoppage time in a 6–0 away win over
Stockport County, and a last minute winner over
Colchester United in a 2–1 win on 1 May, the last game of the season at the
Galpharm Stadium. Novak finished the season with 12 league goals in 38 league games as Huddersfield reached the play-off semi-finals, where they were beaten by
Millwall. He was the club's third top-scorer with 14 goals in all competitions, behind Jordan Rhodes (23) and
Theo Robinson (16). At the end of
the season he signed a contract extension to keep him at the club until summer 2013. He missed the midpoint of the
2010–11 season with a torn hamstring. He was limited to five goals in 15 starts and 24 substitute appearances, and played both legs of the play-off semi-final victory over
Bournemouth, converting his penalty in the shoot-out victory. He was an unused substitute in the
play-off final defeat to
Peterborough United at
Old Trafford;
Benik Afobe started the game, whilst strikers
Danny Cadamarteri, Jordan Rhodes and
Alan Lee all featured as substitutes. Novak had a full pre-season with no injury problems going into the
2011–12 season. He made his first start of the season in the League Cup First Round 4–2 win over
Port Vale at
Vale Park on 9 August, scoring twice to help the "Terriers" progress into the next round. Keeping his first team place under the transition of managers from Lee Clark to
Simon Grayson, he scored a total of 17 goals in 49 appearances throughout the campaign, and started the
play-off final victory over
Sheffield United, before being substituted shortly before the penalty shoot-out. After promotion to the
Championship, Novak struggled for form, but did make some telling contributions in the
2012–13 campaign, particularly in the final two games against
Bristol City and
Barnsley, which helped the club to avoid relegation. He left the club when his contract expired at the end of June 2013, after rejecting a new deal that had been on the table since October 2012.
Birmingham City in 2014 In May 2013, Novak agreed a deal to join
Birmingham City to reunite himself with his former Huddersfield manager Lee Clark. He scored his first goal in Birmingham colours in a 4–0 defeat of
Shamrock Rovers while on pre-season tour in Ireland, and made his competitive debut in a 1–0 defeat at home to
Watford on the opening day of the season. He was released by Birmingham when his contract expired at the end of the 2015–16 season.
Chesterfield Novak joined League One club
Chesterfield on a season-long loan on 14 August 2015. He ended his loan with 14 goals from 35 league appearances. Novak scored his first goal for the club in a 2–2 draw with
Fleetwood Town on 10 September 2016.
Scunthorpe United Novak joined another League One club,
Scunthorpe United, on 31 August 2017 on a free transfer; he signed a two-year contract. His contract was extended by Scunthorpe at the end of the 2018–19 season.
Bradford City Novak joined
League Two club
Bradford City on 31 January 2020 on an 18-month contract. In January 2021 Novak was announced as temporary team captain following injury to regular captain
Richard O'Donnell. On 12 May 2021 he was one of nine players that Bradford City announced would leave the club on 30 June 2021 when their contracts expire. ==Style of play==