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Bill Nicholson (footballer)
Encyclopedia
William Edward "Bill" Nicholson OBE
(26 January 1919 - 23 October 2004) was an English
football
player, coach, manager and scout who devoted his life to Tottenham Hotspur
in North London
.
, the eighth of nine children, he worked briefly in a laundry after leaving school, but at the age of 16 he was invited to a trial at Tottenham Hotspur (Spurs), where he arrived on 16 March 1936. After a month's trial, he was taken on as a ground-staff boy at £2 a week. He signed as a full professional at the age of 18 and played a few matches for the first team before he joined the Durham Light Infantry
on the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. As a professional footballer he was sent on a Physical Education course and was made a sergeant-instructor, training new intakes of troops throughout the war. Although the war probably cost him half his playing career, he did not regret it as his experiences taught him the man-management skills which were to have such a great effect later in his career.
He made his full international debut for England
on 19 May 1951 against Portugal
at Goodison Park
, Liverpool
, and made an immediate impression by scoring with his first touch of the ball after only 19 seconds. Unfortunately this was his only international appearance, because of injuries, the dominance of Billy Wright, and on many occasions he put his club before his country, saying "My duty is to get fit for Tottenham. Well, they pay my wages, don't they?".{Davies, Glory Game, p. 71} Of his only appearance he said "Stan Pearson
nodded it back and I ran on to let go a first time shot which, from the moment I hit it, I knew was going in. But for the next game they brought back Billy Wright and I accepted that because he was the better player". Nicholson is the only player to have scored for England with his first touch in international football and subsequently never play at that level again.
.
On 11 October 1958, Nicholson was called to the Tottenham boardroom and appointed manager of the club in succession to Jimmy Anderson
. At the time the club was sixth from the bottom of the First Division
and there was little indication that the greatest period in the history of the club was about to begin. That afternoon, in the club's first game under Nicholson's management, Tottenham Hotspur beat Everton
10-4 at White Hart Lane
. This represented a new club record, surpassed only by their 13-2 (10-0 at half-time) FA Cup replay win over Crewe Alexandra in the 1959-60 season.
Less than two years later Spurs wrote their place in the history books when they won the Football League championship and the FA Cup
in the 1960-61 season, the first "double
" of the twentieth century. Spurs dominated the opposition that year, winning their first eleven games and scoring 115 goals in 42 games. The following year they won the FA Cup again, and narrowly missed a place in the European Cup
Final, losing to Benfica in the semi-final.
In the 1962-63 season, Nicholson again put Spurs in the history books when they became the first British club to win a major European trophy. In Rotterdam
on 15 May 1963, Spurs defeated favourites Atlético Madrid 5-1 to win the European Cup Winners Cup.
In 1967 Nicholson's Spurs won their third FA Cup in seven years by beating Chelsea
in the first-ever all-London final. This was followed by a string of trophies in the early 1970s – the League Cup
was won in 1971 and 1973, and the UEFA Cup
in 1972.
With a general change in attitudes in British football in the early 1970s, in particular negative tactics and player power, Nicholson felt that the industry was in contrast to his upbringing and personality. He therefore resigned as manager of Spurs in August 1974, shortly after Spurs had lost the 1974 UEFA Cup
final to Feyenoord. He left Spurs with great dignity and respect from everyone at the club, and is considered one of the most important figures in the club's history.
Football League First Division
Football League Second Division
FA Cup
Football League Cup
FA Charity Shield
European Cup Winners' Cup
UEFA Cup
European Cup
became Spurs' manager in 1976, one of his first requests was that Nicholson be brought back to White Hart Lane as a consultant. His knowledge and experience were invaluable, and he showed that he still had an eye for players by recommending several to Burkinshaw, including Graham Roberts
, Tony Galvin
, Gary Mabbutt
and Glenn Hoddle
. Nicholson continued to work as a consultant until 1991, when he was awarded the title of Club President.
In 1999 an approach road to White Hart Lane was named Bill Nicholson Way in his honour. In 2001, the club played a testimonial match
in Nicholson's honour against Italian club ACF Fiorentina
. In 2003 Nicholson was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame
in recognition of his impact as a manager. Spurs fans had also campaigned for many years to have Nicholson knight
ed in recognition of his outstanding achievements and contribution to football but they were unsuccessful. Bill Nicholson died on 23 October 2004 after a long illness. Nicholson was awarded the OBE in 1975.
List of the 'Top 50 Managerial Quotes'.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(26 January 1919 - 23 October 2004) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player, coach, manager and scout who devoted his life to Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
in North London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Early life
Born in Scarborough, YorkshireYorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, the eighth of nine children, he worked briefly in a laundry after leaving school, but at the age of 16 he was invited to a trial at Tottenham Hotspur (Spurs), where he arrived on 16 March 1936. After a month's trial, he was taken on as a ground-staff boy at £2 a week. He signed as a full professional at the age of 18 and played a few matches for the first team before he joined the Durham Light Infantry
Durham Light Infantry
The Durham Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1968. It was formed by the amalgamation of the 68th Regiment of Foot and the 106th Regiment of Foot along with the militia and rifle volunteers of County Durham...
on the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. As a professional footballer he was sent on a Physical Education course and was made a sergeant-instructor, training new intakes of troops throughout the war. Although the war probably cost him half his playing career, he did not regret it as his experiences taught him the man-management skills which were to have such a great effect later in his career.
Return to Spurs
In 1946 Nicholson returned to the Spurs first team, playing at centre half for two seasons, then moving to right half for a further six years. He was a vital part of the legendary "push and run" Tottenham team which won the league championship in the 1950-51 season.He made his full international debut for England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
on 19 May 1951 against Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
at Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, and made an immediate impression by scoring with his first touch of the ball after only 19 seconds. Unfortunately this was his only international appearance, because of injuries, the dominance of Billy Wright, and on many occasions he put his club before his country, saying "My duty is to get fit for Tottenham. Well, they pay my wages, don't they?".{Davies, Glory Game, p. 71} Of his only appearance he said "Stan Pearson
Stan Pearson
Stanley Clare Pearson was an English football player. He was born in Salford.Pearson was signed by Manchester United as an amateur in December 1935 and turned professional in May 1937. His first senior game came against Chesterfield in 1937. When his career was interrupted by the war, he served...
nodded it back and I ran on to let go a first time shot which, from the moment I hit it, I knew was going in. But for the next game they brought back Billy Wright and I accepted that because he was the better player". Nicholson is the only player to have scored for England with his first touch in international football and subsequently never play at that level again.
Management
Nicholson took a Football Association coaching course and joined the coaching staff at Tottenham upon his retirement as a player. He quickly rose through the ranks of the coaching staff to become first team coach in 1955. He subsequently assisted England manager Walter Winterbottom at the 1958 FIFA World Cup1958 FIFA World Cup
The 1958 FIFA World Cup, the sixth staging of the World Cup, was hosted by Sweden from 8 June to 29 June. The tournament was won by Brazil, who beat Sweden 5–2 in the final for their first title. To date, this marks the only occasion that a World Cup staged in Europe was not won by a European...
.
On 11 October 1958, Nicholson was called to the Tottenham boardroom and appointed manager of the club in succession to Jimmy Anderson
Jimmy Anderson (footballer)
Jimmy Anderson was an English football manager for Tottenham Hotspur between 1955 and 1958.-Career:Jimmy Anderson had been a lifelong member of the ground staff at Tottenham Hotspur having joined the club in 1908 when he took over as manager from Arthur Rowe who retired on 18 April 1955...
. At the time the club was sixth from the bottom of the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
and there was little indication that the greatest period in the history of the club was about to begin. That afternoon, in the club's first game under Nicholson's management, Tottenham Hotspur beat Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
10-4 at White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, London, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,230....
. This represented a new club record, surpassed only by their 13-2 (10-0 at half-time) FA Cup replay win over Crewe Alexandra in the 1959-60 season.
Less than two years later Spurs wrote their place in the history books when they won the Football League championship and the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
in the 1960-61 season, the first "double
The Double
The Double is a term in association football which refers to winning a country's top tier division and its primary cup competition in the same season...
" of the twentieth century. Spurs dominated the opposition that year, winning their first eleven games and scoring 115 goals in 42 games. The following year they won the FA Cup again, and narrowly missed a place in the European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
Final, losing to Benfica in the semi-final.
In the 1962-63 season, Nicholson again put Spurs in the history books when they became the first British club to win a major European trophy. In Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
on 15 May 1963, Spurs defeated favourites Atlético Madrid 5-1 to win the European Cup Winners Cup.
In 1967 Nicholson's Spurs won their third FA Cup in seven years by beating Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
in the first-ever all-London final. This was followed by a string of trophies in the early 1970s – the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
was won in 1971 and 1973, and the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
in 1972.
With a general change in attitudes in British football in the early 1970s, in particular negative tactics and player power, Nicholson felt that the industry was in contrast to his upbringing and personality. He therefore resigned as manager of Spurs in August 1974, shortly after Spurs had lost the 1974 UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
final to Feyenoord. He left Spurs with great dignity and respect from everyone at the club, and is considered one of the most important figures in the club's history.
Honours
Tottenham Hotspur (as player and manager)Football League First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
- Champions: 1951, 1961
- Runner-up: 1952, 1963
Football League Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
- Winners: 1950
FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
- Winners: 1961, 1962, 19671967 FA Cup FinalThe 1967 FA Cup Final took place at Wembley on 20 May 1967, between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea. It was the competition's first final to be contested between two teams from London, and is thus often dubbed the Cockney Cup Final. Tottenham won 2–1...
Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
- Winners: 19711971 Football League Cup FinalThe 1971 Football League Cup Final took place in February 1971 at Wembley Stadium. It was the eleventh Football League Cup final and the fifth to be played at Wembley.It was contested between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa...
, 19731973 Football League Cup FinalThe 1973 Football League Cup Final was won by Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs beat Norwich City 1–0 at Wembley Stadium, Ralph Coates with the goal.-External links:*...
FA Charity Shield
FA Community Shield
The Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
- Winners: 1951, 1961, 1962
- Shared: 1967
European Cup Winners' Cup
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
- Winners: 1963
UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
- Winners: 19721972 UEFA Cup FinalThe 1972 UEFA Cup Final was the final of the first ever UEFA Cup football tournament. It was a two-legged contest played on 3 May and 17 May 1972 between two English clubs, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur....
- Runner-up: 19741974 UEFA Cup FinalThe 1974 UEFA Cup Final was played on 21 May 1974 and 29 May 1974 between Tottenham Hotspur of England and Feyenoord of Netherlands. Feyenoord won 4–2 on aggregate.-First leg:-Second leg: -References:*...
- Semi-Finalists: 1973
European Cup
- Semi-Finalists: 1962
Post-management career
After quitting the Spurs manager's job, Nicholson spent a year at West Ham United as an adviser. When Keith BurkinshawKeith Burkinshaw
Harry Keith Burkinshaw is an English former professional footballer and football manager.-Playing career:...
became Spurs' manager in 1976, one of his first requests was that Nicholson be brought back to White Hart Lane as a consultant. His knowledge and experience were invaluable, and he showed that he still had an eye for players by recommending several to Burkinshaw, including Graham Roberts
Graham Roberts (footballer)
Graham Paul Roberts is a retired English footballer who played for numerous clubs, mainly in a defensive role...
, Tony Galvin
Tony Galvin
Anthony 'Tony' Galvin was an Irish football left winger. He played most successfully with Tottenham Hotspur where he played 201 league games. He would finish his league career with spells at Sheffield Wednesday and Swindon Town...
, Gary Mabbutt
Gary Mabbutt
Gary Mabbutt MBE is an English former professional footballer who made more than 600 appearances in the Football League and Premier League playing for Bristol Rovers and Tottenham Hotspur, and won 16 caps for the England national team. He was most regularly seen in central defence but was a...
and Glenn Hoddle
Glenn Hoddle
Glenn Hoddle is an English former footballer and manager who played as an attacking midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur, AS Monaco, Chelsea and Swindon Town and at international level for England....
. Nicholson continued to work as a consultant until 1991, when he was awarded the title of Club President.
Recognition
Testimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
in Nicholson's honour against Italian club ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A...
. In 2003 Nicholson was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame
English Football Hall of Fame
The English Football Hall of Fame is housed at the National Football Museum, currently being relocated to Manchester, England. The Hall aims to celebrate and highlight the achievements of the all-time top English footballing talents, as well as non-English players and managers who have become...
in recognition of his impact as a manager. Spurs fans had also campaigned for many years to have Nicholson knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed in recognition of his outstanding achievements and contribution to football but they were unsuccessful. Bill Nicholson died on 23 October 2004 after a long illness. Nicholson was awarded the OBE in 1975.
Famous quote
Bill Nicholson said, ‘It is better to fail aiming high than to succeed aiming low. And we of Spurs have set our sights very high, so high in fact that even failure will have in it an echo of glory.’ it was listed as the 4th greatest managerial quote in the Daily Mail'sDaily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
List of the 'Top 50 Managerial Quotes'.
See also
- List of UEFA Cup winning managers
- Joy BrookJoy BrookJoy Brook is an English actress who played DC Kerry Holmes in The Bill and Joanne Pearson in Peak Practice...
- The Glory Game by Hunter DaviesHunter DaviesEdward Hunter Davies is a prolific British author, journalist and broadcaster, perhaps best known for writing the only authorised biography of The Beatles.- Early life :...
(1972) ISBN 1851583769