James Nicholls (footballer)

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.

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)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

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] He made 16 First Division appearances for the latter club.[1]

Brentford

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

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
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup Total
Division AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Manchester City 1932–33[7] First Division 14000140
1933–34[7] 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
  1. Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 217. ISBN 190589161X.
  2. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 214. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  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. Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopaedia. Yore Publications. pp. 82–83. ISBN 1 874427 57 7.
  5. White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 374. ISBN 0951526200.
  6. James Nicholls at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  7. "Jim Nicholls – Manchester City Player Statistics". StatCity. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
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