James Nicholls (footballer)

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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)
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 footballer who played as a goalkeeper in the Football League for Manchester City, Brentford and Port Vale.

Career[edit]

Early years[edit]

A 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[edit]

Nicholls transferred to Second Division club Brentford during the 1934 off-season.[3] 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.[4] 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.[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[edit]

Nicholls 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 1937–38 season.[2][6]

Career statistics[edit]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Manchester City 1932–33[7] First Division 14 0 0 0 14 0
1933–34[7] 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[edit]

Brentford Reserves

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 217. ISBN 978-1905891610.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 214. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ a b Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopaedia. Yore Publications. pp. 82–83. ISBN 1-874427-57-7.
  5. ^ a b White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 374. ISBN 0951526200.
  6. ^ a b James Nicholls at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  7. ^ a b "Jim Nicholls – Manchester City Player Statistics". StatCity. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
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