James Henry Nicholls (24 September 1908 – 20 August 1984) was an English professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper in the Football League for Manchester City, Brentford and Port Vale.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | James Henry Nicholls[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 24 September 1908[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Bilston, England[2] | ||
| Date of death | 20 August 1984 (aged 75)[2] | ||
| Place of death | Dudley, England[2] | ||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[3] | ||
| 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 | |||
Career
editEarly years
editA goalkeeper, in his early career Nicholls played for Darlaston, Cradley Heath, Sunbeam Motor Works, Bloxwich Strollers, Bilston United, Blackpool and Manchester City.[1] He made 16 First Division appearances for the latter club.[1]
Brentford
editNicholls transferred to Second Division club Brentford during the 1934 off-season.[4] Unable to oust James Mathieson from the team, Nicholls failed to make a first-team appearance during his first two seasons at Griffin Park and instead played for the reserve team, with which he won the London Challenge Cup in 1934–35.[5] With the Bees then in the First Division, Nicholls finally made his first-team debut in a 1–1 draw with Huddersfield Town on 12 September 1936.[6] 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.[4]
Port Vale
editNicholls joined Third Division North club Port Vale in June 1937 as a replacement for Allan Todd.[2] He made his debut in a 3–0 defeat to Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park on 28 August and played the first 16 games of the 1937–38 season, until suffering a knee injury in December 1937.[2] Goalkeeper George Heppell established himself in the position, which left Nicholls surplus to requirements, and he departed The Old Recreation Ground at the end of the 1937–38 season.[2][7]
Career statistics
edit| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Manchester City | 1932–33[8] | First Division | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| 1933–34[8] | First Division | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
| Brentford | 1936–37[6] | First Division | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Port Vale | 1937–38[7] | Third Division North | 17 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Total | 40 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 42 | 0 | ||
Honours
editBrentford Reserves
References
edit- ^ a b c Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 217. ISBN 978-1905891610.
- ^ a b c d e f g Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 214. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
- ^ James Nicholls at WorldFootball.net
- ^ a b 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)
- ^ a b "Jim Nicholls – Manchester City Player Statistics". StatCity. Retrieved 29 November 2020.