Bill Nicholson
Double winner who left Spurs in good Nick
| Full name: | William Edward Nicholson |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: | January 26, 1919 |
| Date of death: | October 23, 2004 |
| Clubs played for: | Tottenham |
| Clubs managed: | Tottenham |
Club Career
From a ground-staff boy on just £2 a week, Bill Nicholson blossomed into one of the finest players in Tottenham's history. He made more than 300 appearances for the club, first at centre-back and then at right-half, but he'd have probably made twice as many if the Second World War hadn't got in the way.
In 1951, he was a key member of the legendary 'push and run' team that brought the title to the Lane for the first time and he played for four more years before retiring in 1955.
Club Stats
| Years | Clubs | App | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1938-55 | Tottenham | 314 | 6 |
International Career
The dominance of Billy Wright restricted Nicholson to just one England cap, against Portugal in 1951.
International Career Stats
| Years | Clubs | App | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | England | 1 | 1 |
Managerial Career
Nicholson was simply one of the greatest English managers of all-time. A thoughtful and innovative tactician, he built the glorious team of Danny Blanchflower, Dave Mackay and Cliff Jones that did the first Double of the 20th Century in 1961, and two seasons later he became the first manager to lead an English club to victory in Europe.
He stepped down in 1974, disillusioned with the modern game, but continued to serve the club as scout, consultant and president.
Key Games
Tottenham 10 Everton 4 (First Division, October 11, 1958)
Spurs were languishing in the bottom six of the First Division when Nicholson replaced Jimmy Anderson as manager in 1958. And he had an immediate impact, inspiring them to a 10-goal rout of Everton in his first game in charge. Bobby Smith led the demolition with four goals, while Alfie Stokes weighed in with two.
Tottenham 2 Leicester 0 (FA Cup final, May 6, 1961)
Nicholson's 'Super Spurs' became the first team in 64 years to complete the League and Cup Double, beating the Foxes in a match broadcast live to 12 European countries. Bobby Smith broke the deadlock in the 66th minute, smashing the ball past Gordon Banks and, nine minutes later, Terry Dyson headed home the second.
Tottenham 5-1 Atletico Madrid (European Cup-Winners' Cup final, May 15, 1963)
Jimmy Greaves struck twice as Tottenham became the first British club to lift a European trophy. They did it in emphatic style, thrashing Atletico in Rotterdam. John White also found the net and Terry Dyson added two goals in the second half.
Honours
| Club | Competition | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Tottenham | League Championship | 1950-51 |
| Second Division Championship | 1949-50 | |
| Tottenham (as manager) | League Championship | 1960-61 |
| FA Cup | 1961, 1962, 1967 | |
| League Cup | 1971, 1973 | |
| European Cup-Winners' Cup | 1963 | |
| UEFA Cup | 1972 |
Did You Know...?
Nicholson served as a sergeant in the Durham Light Infantry during the War, and believed the man-management skills he learned helped him when he became a football manager.
Bill Nick scored with his first touch in international football after just 19 seconds against Portugal in 1951, but never played for England again.
During his time as consultant to Spurs manager Keith Burkinshaw in the 1970s and 1980s, Nicholson recommended Graham Roberts, Gary Mabbutt and Tony Galvin to the club.
We want your help to grow the MirrorFootball.co.uk archive! Leave your comments about this piece of football history by clicking on the 'Your Memories' tab above. Tell us who or what you'd like to see covered in the MirrorFootball.co.uk archive by emailing archive@mirror.co.uk
(PDF2.5MB)
