James Nicholls (footballer)
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | James Henry Nicholls[1] | ||
Date of birth | [2] | 24 September 1908||
Place of birth | Bilston, England[2] | ||
Date of death | 20 August 1984[2] | (aged 75)||
Place of death | Dudley, England[2] | ||
Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||
Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
Darlaston | |||
Cradley Heath | |||
Sunbeam Motor Works | |||
Bloxwich Strollers | |||
Bilston United | |||
Blackpool | 0 | (0) | |
1932–1933 | Manchester City | 16 | (0) |
1934–1937 | Brentford | 7 | (0) |
1937–1938 | Port Vale | 17 | (0) |
Total | 40+ | (0) | |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
James Henry Nicholls (24 September 1908 – 20 August 1984) was an English professional football goalkeeper who played in the Football League for Manchester City, Brentford and Port Vale.[3]
Playing career
Early years
A goalkeeper, in his early career Nicholls played for Darlaston, Cradley Heath, Sunbeam Motor Works, Bloxwich Strollers, Bilston United, Blackpool and Manchester City.[1]
Brentford
Nicholls signed for Second Division club Brentford in the summer of 1934.[3] Unable to oust James Mathieson from the side, Nicholls failed to make a first team appearance during his first two seasons at Griffin Park and instead played for the reserves, winning the London Challenge Cup with the team in 1935.[4] With the Bees now in the First Division, Nicholls finally made his first team debut in a 1–1 draw with Huddersfield Town on 12 September 1936.[5] He made six further appearances during the 1936–37 season, before returning to the reserves and leaving the club at the end of the campaign.[3]
Port Vale
Nicholls joined Third Division North side Port Vale to replace the outgoing Allan Todd in June 1937.[2] He made his debut in a 3–0 defeat to Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park on 28 August and played the first sixteen games of the season until he picked up a knee injury in December 1937.[2] Nicholls recovered, but new man George Heppell had managed to establish himself in goal in the meantime, leaving Nicholls surplus to requirements.[6] He departed The Old Recreation Ground at the end of 1937–38 season.[2]
Career statistics
Club | Season | Division | League | FA Cup | Total | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
Manchester City | 1932–33[7] | First Division | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
1933–34[8] | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
Total | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
Brentford | 1936–37[5] | First Division | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
Port Vale | 1937–38[6] | Third Division North | 17 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
Total | 40 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 42 | 0 |
Honours
Brentford Reserves
- London Challenge Cup winner: 1934–35[4]
References
- Specific
- ^ a b Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 217. ISBN 190589161X.
- ^ a b c d e f g Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 214. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
- ^ a b c Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. p. 116. ISBN 978-0955294914.
- ^ a b Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopaedia. Yore Publications. pp. 82–83. ISBN 1 874427 57 7.
- ^ a b White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 374. ISBN 0951526200.
- ^ a b James Nicholls at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
- ^ "MCFC Matches By Season – Manchester City, Man City History – Bluemoon-MCFC". bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
- ^ "MCFC Matches By Season – Manchester City, Man City History – Bluemoon-MCFC". bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
- 1908 births
- 1984 deaths
- People from Bilston
- English footballers
- Association football goalkeepers
- Darlaston Town F.C. players
- Cradley Heath F.C. players
- Bloxwich Strollers F.C. players
- Bilston Town F.C. players
- Blackpool F.C. players
- Manchester City F.C. players
- Brentford F.C. players
- Port Vale F.C. players
- English Football League players