Charlie Nicholas
Encyclopedia
Charles "Charlie" Nicholas (born 30 December 1961 in Cowcaddens
, Glasgow
, Scotland
) is a former professional football
player from Scotland
. During his career, he played as a striker for Celtic
, Arsenal
, Aberdeen
and Clyde
, and the Scottish national team
. Since retiring as a player, he has worked as a sports journalist.
season which saw him score a total of 50 goals in all competitions (including 29 in the league) and win the Scottish Footballer of the Year
and Young Player of the Year
awards.
Nicholas had the envious choice of being offered a contract at Liverpool
, Manchester United
and Arsenal. He had interviews at both Liverpool and Manchester United. The Scottish players at Liverpool at that time, particularly Graeme Souness
, were trying their best to persuade Nicholas to join them.
In total, he played 84 league games for Celtic, scoring an impressive 48 goals.http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=42461
in the North London derby
).
Nicholas barely broke double figures in the following seasons, and fell out with Arsenal's new manager George Graham
with the latter's arrival in 1986. Despite scoring both goals in Arsenal's 2-1 League Cup
final
victory over Liverpool
in 1987, Nicholas was dropped four games into the start of the 1987-88
season, in favour of Perry Groves
as the strike-partner for new signing Alan Smith.
In all he scored 54 goals in 184 matches for the Gunners. His best season goals wise was the 1983-84 campaign
, where he scored 11 times in the league.http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=42462
in January 1988 for £400,000,
After a slow start at Pittodrie
(three goals in 16 league games in the 1987-88 season
), he rediscovering his form and scored 16 league goals in the 1988-89 season
, netting a further 11 league goals in 1989-90
and also winning the SFA Cup
, before returning to Celtic in August 1990. He had played 78 league games for the Dons in two and a half years, scoring 30 goals.http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=42463
was something of a disappointment as he played just 14 games and scored six goals in the league, but was much better in 1991-92
with 21 league goals, though once again Celtic failed to win any silverware. He lost his place in the team halfway through 1992-93
as Celtic bought Frank McAvennie
, but regained his place the following season as McAvennie fell out of favour and was eventually discarded. However, his final season at the club was a disappointment as he played in just 12 out of 36 league games and failed to score a single goal.
, where he spent one season and scored five times in 31 league games before retiring as a player.http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=42464
between 1983 and 1989, scoring 5 goals.
programme Soccer Saturday
and Sky Sports
' coverage of the Scottish Premier League
Scottish Cup
and Scotland Internationals
. He is also a part-time newspaper columnist. In April 2010, Nicholas criticised Celtic's majority shareholder Dermot Desmond. He accused Desmond and the board of presiding over the worst Celtic squad he had ever seen. Nicholas was quoted criticising Desmond's handling of the club, accusing him of treating the Glasgow club like "a toy" and failing to invest properly in the playing staff.
Arsenal
Aberdeen
Cowcaddens
Cowcaddens is an area of the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is virtually in the city centre and is bordered by the areas of Garnethill to the south and Townhead to the east....
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
) is a former professional 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 from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. During his career, he played as a striker for Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
, Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
and Clyde
Clyde F.C.
Clyde Football Club are a Scottish professional football team currently playing in the Third Division of the Scottish Football League. Although based for the last fifteen years in the new town of Cumbernauld, they are traditionally associated with an area that covers Rutherglen in South...
, and the Scottish national team
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
. Since retiring as a player, he has worked as a sports journalist.
Celtic
Nicholas started his career with Celtic, making his debut in 1980, at the age of 18. He had a superb 1982-831982-83 in Scottish football
The 1982–83 season was the 86th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Overview:In a tightly fought contest Dundee United win their first and only title this season. The league remains undecided until the last day of the season with Aberdeen, Celtic and Dundee United in contention...
season which saw him score a total of 50 goals in all competitions (including 29 in the league) and win the Scottish Footballer of the Year
Scottish Football Writers' Association
The Scottish Football Writers' Association is an association of Scottish football journalists and correspondents writing for newspapers and agencies, founded in 1965...
and Young Player of the Year
Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year
The Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year is named at the end of every Scottish football season. The members of the Professional Footballers' Association vote on which of its young members played the best football in the previous year. The award was first given in 1978.- List of winners :-Winners...
awards.
Nicholas had the envious choice of being offered a contract at Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
and Arsenal. He had interviews at both Liverpool and Manchester United. The Scottish players at Liverpool at that time, particularly Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
, were trying their best to persuade Nicholas to join them.
In total, he played 84 league games for Celtic, scoring an impressive 48 goals.http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=42461
Arsenal
He moved to Arsenal on 22 June 1983 for £800,000. However, Nicholas did not live up to the hype surrounding his move; His lifestyle in the capital was the subject of much tabloid speculation, earning him the nickname "Champagne Charlie"; he only scored 11 goals in his first season (although two were against TottenhamTottenham 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 the North London derby
North London derby
The North London derby is the name of the football local derby between the two major teams in North London – Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.-History:...
).
Nicholas barely broke double figures in the following seasons, and fell out with Arsenal's new manager George Graham
George Graham (footballer)
George Graham is a Scottish former football player and manager. He is best remembered for his success at Arsenal, as a player in the 1970s and then as manager from 1986 until 1995.-Early life:...
with the latter's arrival in 1986. Despite scoring both goals in Arsenal's 2-1 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...
final
1987 Football League Cup Final
The 1987 Littlewoods Cup Final was a football match played on 5 April 1987 between Arsenal and Liverpool. The match, played in front of 96,000 spectators at Wembley Stadium, was won by Arsenal 2–1. Ian Rush opened the scoring for Liverpool, before Charlie Nicholas equalised, turning in a...
victory over Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
in 1987, Nicholas was dropped four games into the start of the 1987-88
1987-88 in English football
The 1987–88 season was the 120th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Liverpool won the league title with a comfortable nine-point margin and just two defeats all season....
season, in favour of Perry Groves
Perry Groves
Perry Groves is a former English footballer, known chiefly for his time at Arsenal. He was a fast-paced player who usually played as winger, and occasionally as a striker...
as the strike-partner for new signing Alan Smith.
In all he scored 54 goals in 184 matches for the Gunners. His best season goals wise was the 1983-84 campaign
1983-84 in English football
The 1983–84 season was the 104th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Liverpool had a great first season under the management of Joe Fagan as they wrapped up their third successive league title and the 15th in their history...
, where he scored 11 times in the league.http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=42462
Aberdeen
Nicholas was sold to AberdeenAberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
in January 1988 for £400,000,
After a slow start at Pittodrie
Pittodrie Stadium
Pittodrie Stadium is an all-seated football stadium situated in the Scottish city of Aberdeen. It was first used in 1899 and from 1903 has been the home of Aberdeen Football Club...
(three goals in 16 league games in the 1987-88 season
1987-88 in Scottish football
The 1987–88 season was the 91st season of competitive football in Scotland.-Notable events:Billy McNeill's second spell back in charge of Celtic began in style as they finished the season by winning the double of the league title and Scottish Cup...
), he rediscovering his form and scored 16 league goals in the 1988-89 season
1988-89 in Scottish football
The 1988–89 season was the 92nd season of competitive football in Scotland.-Notable events:Rangers regained their league title and retained the League Cup, but defeat by Celtic in the Scottish Cup final ended their hopes of a domestic treble....
, netting a further 11 league goals in 1989-90
1989-90 in Scottish football
The 1989–90 season was the 93rd season of competitive football in Scotland.-Notable events:Rangers won their third league title in four seasons under the management of Graeme Souness....
and also winning the SFA Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
, before returning to Celtic in August 1990. He had played 78 league games for the Dons in two and a half years, scoring 30 goals.http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=42463
Return to Celtic
His comeback season at ParkheadCeltic Park
Celtic Park is a football stadium in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which is the home ground of Celtic FC. Celtic Park, an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 60,832, is the largest football stadium in Scotland and the sixth-largest stadium in the United Kingdom, after Murrayfield, Old Trafford,...
was something of a disappointment as he played just 14 games and scored six goals in the league, but was much better in 1991-92
1991-92 in Scottish football
The 1991–92 season was the 95th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish Premier Division:Champions: RangersRelegated: St...
with 21 league goals, though once again Celtic failed to win any silverware. He lost his place in the team halfway through 1992-93
1992-93 in Scottish football
The 1992–93 season was the 96th season of competitive football in Scotland.- Notable events:* Rangers completing a domestic treble of the Premier Division title, FA Cup and League Cup....
as Celtic bought Frank McAvennie
Frank McAvennie
Francis "Frank" McAvennie is a former Scottish football striker best known as a player with West Ham United and Celtic, having had two spells with both of these clubs.-Early life:...
, but regained his place the following season as McAvennie fell out of favour and was eventually discarded. However, his final season at the club was a disappointment as he played in just 12 out of 36 league games and failed to score a single goal.
Clyde
In July 1995, after five years back at Celtic (during which time he had played 114 league games and scored 37 league goals) he left on a free transfer to join ClydeClyde F.C.
Clyde Football Club are a Scottish professional football team currently playing in the Third Division of the Scottish Football League. Although based for the last fifteen years in the new town of Cumbernauld, they are traditionally associated with an area that covers Rutherglen in South...
, where he spent one season and scored five times in 31 league games before retiring as a player.http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=42464
International career
Nicholas made 20 appearances for the Scottish national football teamScotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
between 1983 and 1989, scoring 5 goals.
Career after retirement
Nicholas now works as a pundit on the Sky Sports NewsSky Sports News
Sky Sports News is a 24-hour sports news channel in the United Kingdom. It is run by BSkyB whose sports channels include Sky Sports 1, 2, 3 and 4, as well as Sky Sports HD1, HD2, HD3 and HD4....
programme Soccer Saturday
Soccer Saturday
Gillette Soccer Saturday is a weekly television programme broadcast on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom and Ireland during the football season. The programme updates viewers on the progress of association football games in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Saturday afternoons. The current host is...
and Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
' coverage of the Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
and Scotland Internationals
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
. He is also a part-time newspaper columnist. In April 2010, Nicholas criticised Celtic's majority shareholder Dermot Desmond. He accused Desmond and the board of presiding over the worst Celtic squad he had ever seen. Nicholas was quoted criticising Desmond's handling of the club, accusing him of treating the Glasgow club like "a toy" and failing to invest properly in the playing staff.
Honours
CelticCeltic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
- Scottish Premier LeagueScottish Premier LeagueThe Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
winner: 1980–81, 1981–82
- Scottish League CupScottish League CupThe Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
winner: 1983 - Scottish League CupScottish League CupThe Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
runner-up: 19951995 Scottish League Cup FinalThe 1995 Scottish League Cup Final was played on 26 November 1995, at Hampden Park in Glasgow and was the final of the 50th Scottish League Cup competition. The final was contested by Aberdeen and Dundee. Aberdeen won the match 2–0 thanks to goals by Duncan Shearer and Billy Dodds.-Match...
Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
- Football League CupFootball League CupThe 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...
winner: 19871987 Football League Cup FinalThe 1987 Littlewoods Cup Final was a football match played on 5 April 1987 between Arsenal and Liverpool. The match, played in front of 96,000 spectators at Wembley Stadium, was won by Arsenal 2–1. Ian Rush opened the scoring for Liverpool, before Charlie Nicholas equalised, turning in a...
Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
- Scottish Premier LeagueScottish Premier LeagueThe Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
runner-up: 1988–89, 1989–90 - Scottish CupScottish CupThe Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
winner: 19901990 Scottish Cup FinalThe 1990 Scottish Cup Final was played on May 12, 1990 at Hampden Park in Glasgow and was the final of the 115th Scottish Cup. The final was contested by Aberdeen and Celtic. Aberdeen won the match 9–8 on penalties after the match finished 0–0 following extra time.-Match details:-Road to the... - Scottish League CupScottish League CupThe Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
winner: 19901990 Scottish League Cup FinalThe 1990 Scottish League Cup Final was played on 28 October 1990 at Hampden Park in Glasgow and was the final of the 45th Scottish League Cup. The final was an Old Firm derby contested by Celtic and Rangers. Rangers won the match 2–1 thanks to goals from Richard Gough and Mark Walters.-Match... - Scottish League CupScottish League CupThe Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
runner-up: 19891989 Scottish League Cup FinalThe 1989 Scottish League Cup Final was played on 22 October 1989 at Hampden Park in Glasgow and was the final of the 44th Scottish League Cup competition. The final was contested by Aberdeen and Rangers. Aberdeen won the match 2–1 thanks to a Paul Mason double.-Match details:-Teams:...