Nigel Sims
Encyclopedia
David Nigel Sims known as Nigel Sims, is an English former footballer who played as a goalkeeper in the Football League
for Wolverhampton Wanderers
, Aston Villa
and Peterborough United
in the 1950s and 1960s.
Sims was born at Coton in the Elms
, Derbyshire
. He joined Wolverhampton Wanderers
from Stapenhill
in August 1948 as understudy to Bert Williams
, and made his first-team debut on 18 April 1949 in a 1–1 draw with Sheffield United
in the First Division
. While a National Serviceman
in 1950, Sims played for the Army
in a representative match against an Irish Football Association
XI. During his eight seasons at Wolves he only made 39 appearances before transferring to Midlands rivals Aston Villa
in March 1956. He made his debut against Burnley
that same month.
He was on the winning side in the 1957 FA Cup Final
, in which Villa beat Manchester United
2–1, followed three years later by a Second Division
winners' medal. In 1961 he helped Villa lift the inaugural League Cup
.
He played representative matches for the Football League
, and in 1958 was the first winner of Aston Villa supporters' 'Terrace Trophy'.
In September 1964, having lost his place in the side, he transferred to Peterborough United
. He appeared only 16 times for them before trying his luck in Canada, having already spent a summer with Toronto City
. He appeared twice for the Toronto Falcons
in the National Professional Soccer League
, and also played for Toronto Italia.
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
for Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
, Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
and Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
in the 1950s and 1960s.
Sims was born at Coton in the Elms
Coton in the Elms
Coton in the Elms is a village and parish in the English county of Derbyshire. It is located five miles south of Burton upon Trent.South east of the village is Church Flatts Farm, which is defined by the Ordnance Survey as the farthest point from the sea in Great Britain.-History:Coton is mentioned...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. He joined Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
from Stapenhill
Stapenhill F.C.
Stapenhill F.C. is a football club based in the Stapenhill area of Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England. They joined the Leicestershire Senior League Division Two in 1957. They reached the 2nd round of the FA Vase four times in their history...
in August 1948 as understudy to Bert Williams
Bert Williams (footballer)
Bert Frederick Williams MBE is a former English international football goalkeeper. Nicknamed The Cat, he spent the majority of his playing career at Wolverhampton Wanderers where he won the League Championship and FA Cup....
, and made his first-team debut on 18 April 1949 in a 1–1 draw with Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
in 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....
. While a National Serviceman
Conscription in the United Kingdom
Conscription in the United Kingdom has existed for two periods in modern times. The first was from 1916 to 1919, the second was from 1939 to 1960, with the last conscripted soldiers leaving the service in 1963...
in 1950, Sims played for the Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in a representative match against an Irish Football Association
Irish Football Association
The Irish Football Association is the organising body for association football in Northern Ireland, and was historically the governing body for Ireland...
XI. During his eight seasons at Wolves he only made 39 appearances before transferring to Midlands rivals Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
in March 1956. He made his debut against Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
that same month.
He was on the winning side in the 1957 FA Cup Final
1957 FA Cup Final
The 1957 FA Cup Final was a football match played on 4 May 1957 at Wembley Stadium. The match was contested by Aston Villa and Manchester United. Villa won 2-1, with both of their goals scored by Peter McParland...
, in which Villa beat 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...
2–1, followed three years later by a 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' medal. In 1961 he helped Villa lift the inaugural 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...
.
He played representative matches for the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
, and in 1958 was the first winner of Aston Villa supporters' 'Terrace Trophy'.
In September 1964, having lost his place in the side, he transferred to Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
. He appeared only 16 times for them before trying his luck in Canada, having already spent a summer with Toronto City
Toronto City
Toronto City is a former Canadian football team based in Toronto. Between 1961 and 1967, teams using this name competed in both the Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League and the United Soccer Association.-ECPSL:...
. He appeared twice for the Toronto Falcons
Toronto Falcons
The Toronto Falcons were a soccer team based in Toronto, Canada. They played only two years, 1967 in the National Professional Soccer League and 1968 in the North American Soccer League . Their home field was Varsity Stadium....
in the National Professional Soccer League
National Professional Soccer League (1967)
The National Professional Soccer League was a North American professional soccer league that existed for only the 1967 season before merging with the United Soccer Association to form the North American Soccer League. It had ten charter members, nine from the United States and one from Canada...
, and also played for Toronto Italia.
External links
- NPSL stats and photo at NASL Jerseys
- League stats at Neil Brown's site