James Nicholls

James Nicholls
Personal information
Full name James Henry Nicholls[1]
Date of birth (1908-09-24)24 September 1908[2]
Place of birth Bilston, England[2]
Date of death 20 August 1984(1984-08-20) (aged 75)[2]
Place of death Dudley, England[2]
Height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Playing position 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)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

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
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Manchester City 1932–33[7] First Division 14000140
1933–34[8] 200020
Total 16000160
Brentford 1936–37[5] First Division 700070
Port Vale 1937–38[6] Third Division North 17020190
Total 40 0 2 0 42 0

Honours

Brentford Reserves

References

Specific
  1. 1 2 Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 217. ISBN 190589161X.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 214. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  3. 1 2 3 Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. p. 116. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  4. 1 2 Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopaedia. Yore Publications. pp. 82–83. ISBN 1 874427 57 7.
  5. 1 2 White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 374. ISBN 0951526200.
  6. 1 2 James Nicholls at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  7. ↑ "MCFC Matches By Season – Manchester City, Man City History – Bluemoon-MCFC". bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  8. ↑ "MCFC Matches By Season – Manchester City, Man City History – Bluemoon-MCFC". bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
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