Steve Nicol
Encyclopedia
Stephen "Steve" Nicol is a Scottish former professional footballer. A utility player who played in the all-conquering Liverpool
team of the 1980s, he was most recently coach of New England Revolution
, and was the longest-tenured head coach in MLS
to coach a single club.
As a player, Nicol was a significant member of the all-conquering Liverpool
team of the 1980s, with whom he won five Football League First Division
titles, three FA Cup
winners medals, and the 1984 European Cup. After 14 years with Liverpool, Nicol also played with several other English teams, including Notts County
, Sheffield Wednesday
and Doncaster Rovers
, before emigrating to the United States in 1999.
He was also a regular member of the Scotland national football team
, and represented his country at the 1986 FIFA World Cup
.
in 1979 and spent just over two seasons with the Scottish side, racking up 70 league appearances, before Liverpool manager Bob Paisley
decided to pay, what turned out to be, a bargain price of £300,000 to bring Nicol to Anfield
on 26 October 1981.
He made his Reds debut on 31 August 1982 in a 0–0 league draw with Birmingham City
at St Andrews
, and made a further three league appearances that season. The Reds finished it as league champions for the 14th time, but Nicol did not make enough appearances to collect a title winner's medal.
Nicol became a regular in the 1983–84 season
under new boss Joe Fagan
, he also scored his first goal for the club on 22 October 1983, in a 1–0 league victory over Queens Park Rangers
at Loftus Road
. He went on to win a League championship
medal by the end of his first full season having not appeared enough times the previous season to qualify for a medal, however, he was not picked for the League Cup
final victory over fierce Merseyside derby
rivals Everton
, the first ever all Merseyside
final. He was selected for the European Cup
final in Rome, Nicol played well and earned a winner's medal after a penalty shoot-out in which he missed his own spot-kick. Fortunately for Nicol A.S. Roma
, playing in their home stadium
, subsequently failed to score two of their penalty kicks and Liverpool won.
Nicol became a first-team regular for many subsequent seasons, winning the League championship and FA Cup
"double" in 1986 under the guidance of Kenny Dalglish, pipping Everton to the title by just two points and then beating them 3–1 in the first ever all Merseyside FA Cup final. He was also settling into an international career with Scotland
which would ultimately yield 27 caps and a place in the 1986 FIFA World Cup
in Mexico. Jock Stein
gave Nicol his international debut on 12 September 1984 in a friendly with Yugoslavia
, The Scots turned on the style for the 18, 512 Hampden Park
crowd thumping the Eastern Europeans 6–1, helping Nicol to settle in somewhat were club mates Graeme Souness
, who also captained the side, and Kenny Dalglish
, both scoring.
A versatile player, he played most often at right back following the departure of Phil Neal
in 1986, though he also featured at left back, in the centre of defence and as a midfield player, he even played up front on a couple of occasions. He earned the nickname 'Chopsy' because of how he pronounced the word 'chips
'.
In the 1987–88
season in goalscoring form, despite playing in a position not naturally conducive to attacking. This included a memorable hat-trick
at Newcastle United
and a phenomenal long-range header at Arsenal
.
Nicol's defensive qualities were also much admired as Liverpool coasted to the League title but missed out on another "double" when Wimbledon
surprisingly beat them 1–0 in the FA Cup final at Wembley. Nicol was the last Liverpool player to have a chance to equalise and force extra-time, his diving header in injury time flying narrowly over the crossbar.
A year later, Nicol accompanied his team-mates to many of the funeral
s and memorial service
s of the 96 fans who died at the Hillsborough disaster
and played his part as Liverpool won the FA Cup against Everton, winning 3–2 after extra time, but lost the League title in a decider
against Arsenal
with virtually the last kick of the season. The campaign ended on a personal high for Nicol as he was named Footballer of the Year
by football writers. Like many others in the Liverpool squad, Hillsborough was the second tragedy Nicol had witnessed, four years earlier just before the 1985 European Cup final at the Heysel Stadium
, Brussels
football hooligans had charged a section of, mainly, Juventus
supporters causing a retaining wall to collapse killing 39 people,
When Liverpool beat Crystal Palace
9–0
the following season to accumulate the club's biggest-ever League victory, Nicol was the only player to score twice, getting the first and last goals of the game in the seventh and 90th minutes. Liverpool regained the League title that season – their last to date – and, two years later, Nicol was in the team which, under Graeme Souness, won the FA Cup again in 1992 this time beating Sunderland
2–0.
He remained a regular player for Liverpool until the start of the 1994–95 season
, when he was forced onto the sidelines with the arrival of new defenders Phil Babb
and John Scales
.
In 13 years at Anfield, he had played a total of 343 league games and scored 36 goals. He was the club's longest serving player in terms of unbroken service, although Ian Rush
had joined the club more than a year before him his service had been disrupted by a year-long spell at Juventus.http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=42478
, being recruited by County's former Everton
manager Howard Kendall
. He stayed in the role for just 10 months playing 22 times, although he did receive his first taste of management at Meadow Lane
when he took charge of the club with two other players for the final months of the Magpies' disastrous 1994-95
campaign. Unfortunately his efforts were not enough to save Notts County from relegation to Division Two.
in the November of '95, where he made his debut against former derby rivals Everton at Goodison Park
on the 25 November a game which ended in a 2–2 draw. However, probably Nicol's best memory of his time at Hillsborough happened on 7 December 1996 when his Wednesday side travelled to his old stomping ground of Anfield, the Sheffield
side completely nullified the Liverpool attack, which contained the likes of Robbie Fowler
, Steve McManaman
and John Barnes
, and came away with a surprise 1–0 victory with Nicol playing a major part in the Wednesday defence.
during the 1997–98
season where he played nine games. He then had a short spell with Doncaster Rovers
before heading to the U.S. to take a player-coach position with Boston Bulldogs
of the A-League
in 1999.
In September of that year, he took over as interim player-coach with the New England Revolution
of Major League Soccer
for the final two games of the season, winning both. He returned to Boston Bulldogs
as player-coach for the 2000 and 2001 seasons before re-joining the Revs in 2002 as an assistant coach.
on an interim basis initially, then permanently after 21 games, leading the team to the MLS Cup that season, and was named MLS Coach of the Year
in his first year. The team has advanced to the MLS Eastern Conference Finals in each of his years as coach until 2008, and returned to the MLS Cup in 2005, 2006, and 2007. Nicol's Revolution has the unique distinction of having not scored a goal in regulation time in the first three of their four final appearances (losing all four). One of the coaches who worked under him is ex-Plymouth Argyle
, Ipswich Town
, Arsenal
and England
centre forward Paul Mariner
. On October 24, 2011, Nicol and the Revolution mutally decided to part ways, ending his 10 season tenure.
, with his wife Eleanor, their children Michael and Katy, and one grandson, Patrick.
Nicol still holds a place in the hearts of Liverpool supporters everywhere, this was shown in the 2006 poll 100 Players Who Shook The Kop which was compiled by the official Liverpool Football Club web site. 110,000 supporters worldwide took part in the poll in which they had to supply their favourite 100 Reds of all time. Nicol came in at a more than respectable 39th position. He is 17th in the all time list of appearances for Liverpool, with a total of 468 games for the Reds.
Liverpool
Runner-up
New England Revolution
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...
team of the 1980s, he was most recently coach of New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
, and was the longest-tenured head coach in MLS
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
to coach a single club.
As a player, Nicol was a significant member of the all-conquering 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...
team of the 1980s, with whom he won five 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....
titles, three 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 medals, and the 1984 European Cup. After 14 years with Liverpool, Nicol also played with several other English teams, including Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
, Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
and Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
, before emigrating to the United States in 1999.
He was also a regular member of the Scotland national football 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...
, and represented his country at the 1986 FIFA World Cup
1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia had been originally chosen to host the competition by FIFA but, largely due to economic reasons, was not able to do so and officially...
.
Ayr United
Nicol started his career with Ayr UnitedAyr United F.C.
Ayr United Football Club are a Scottish association football team based in Ayr, South Ayrshire, that plays in the First Division of the Scottish Football League. Formed in 1910 after the merger of former clubs Ayr Parkhouse F.C. and Ayr F.C...
in 1979 and spent just over two seasons with the Scottish side, racking up 70 league appearances, before Liverpool manager Bob Paisley
Bob Paisley
Robert "Bob" Paisley OBE was an English football half back turned manager. His association with Liverpool was to span nearly half a century including his contribution to the club, first as a player, then as a physiotherapist and coach, and finally as manager.In nine years as manager between 1974...
decided to pay, what turned out to be, a bargain price of £300,000 to bring Nicol to Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
on 26 October 1981.
Liverpool
Two years in the reserves followed as Nicol gained experience.He made his Reds debut on 31 August 1982 in a 0–0 league draw with Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
at St Andrews
St Andrews (stadium)
St Andrew's is an association football stadium in the Bordesley district of Birmingham, England. It has been the home ground of Birmingham City Football Club for more than a century....
, and made a further three league appearances that season. The Reds finished it as league champions for the 14th time, but Nicol did not make enough appearances to collect a title winner's medal.
Nicol became a regular in the 1983–84 season
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...
under new boss Joe Fagan
Joe Fagan
Joe Fagan was an English football manager best known for being manager of Liverpool F.C. from 1983 to 1985.- Career:Joe Fagan's playing career was largely spent at Manchester City for whom he signed in 1938...
, he also scored his first goal for the club on 22 October 1983, in a 1–0 league victory over Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
at Loftus Road
Loftus Road
Loftus Road is a football stadium in Shepherd's Bush, London. It is home to the English football team Queens Park Rangers of the Premier League and has a capacity of around 18,500. The four stands are called the Loftus Road End , Ellerslie Road Stand, South Africa Road Stand and the School End,...
. He went on to win a League championship
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....
medal by the end of his first full season having not appeared enough times the previous season to qualify for a medal, however, he was not picked for 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...
final victory over fierce Merseyside derby
Merseyside derby
The Merseyside derby is the name given to any football match contested between Everton and Liverpool football clubs, the two most successful clubs from the city of Liverpool in England...
rivals 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...
, the first ever all Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
final. He was selected for 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 in Rome, Nicol played well and earned a winner's medal after a penalty shoot-out in which he missed his own spot-kick. Fortunately for Nicol A.S. Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
, playing in their home stadium
Stadio Olimpico
The Stadio Olimpico is the main and largest sports facility of Rome, Italy. It is located within the Foro Italico sports complex on the north of the city. An asset of the Italian National Olympic Committee, the structure is intended primarily for football...
, subsequently failed to score two of their penalty kicks and Liverpool won.
Nicol became a first-team regular for many subsequent seasons, winning the League championship and 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...
"double" in 1986 under the guidance of Kenny Dalglish, pipping Everton to the title by just two points and then beating them 3–1 in the first ever all Merseyside FA Cup final. He was also settling into an international career with Scotland
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...
which would ultimately yield 27 caps and a place in the 1986 FIFA World Cup
1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia had been originally chosen to host the competition by FIFA but, largely due to economic reasons, was not able to do so and officially...
in Mexico. Jock Stein
Jock Stein
John 'Jock' Stein CBE was a Scottish association football player and manager. He became the first manager of a British side to win the European Cup, with Celtic in 1967...
gave Nicol his international debut on 12 September 1984 in a friendly with Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
, The Scots turned on the style for the 18, 512 Hampden Park
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
crowd thumping the Eastern Europeans 6–1, helping Nicol to settle in somewhat were club mates 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,...
, who also captained the side, and Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
, both scoring.
A versatile player, he played most often at right back following the departure of Phil Neal
Phil Neal
Philip George "Phil" Neal is a former footballer who was, at one time, the most successful player in English football history. He played for Liverpool 650 times over an eleven year period and is the only player to have appeared in the first five of their European Cup finals, winning four of them...
in 1986, though he also featured at left back, in the centre of defence and as a midfield player, he even played up front on a couple of occasions. He earned the nickname 'Chopsy' because of how he pronounced the word 'chips
Chips
-Food:*A thick version of French fries, strips of deep-fried potato*Potato chips , a snack food comprising thin slices of fried potatoes*Tortilla chips, a snack food made from corn tortillas*Corn chips a snack food made from corn...
'.
In 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 goalscoring form, despite playing in a position not naturally conducive to attacking. This included a memorable hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
at Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
and a phenomenal long-range header at 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...
.
Nicol's defensive qualities were also much admired as Liverpool coasted to the League title but missed out on another "double" when Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
surprisingly beat them 1–0 in the FA Cup final at Wembley. Nicol was the last Liverpool player to have a chance to equalise and force extra-time, his diving header in injury time flying narrowly over the crossbar.
A year later, Nicol accompanied his team-mates to many of the funeral
Funeral
A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...
s and memorial service
Funeral
A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...
s of the 96 fans who died at the Hillsborough disaster
Hillsborough disaster
The Hillsborough disaster was a human crush that occurred on 15 April 1989 at Hillsborough, a football stadium, the home of Sheffield Wednesday F.C. in Sheffield, England, resulting in the deaths of 96 people, and 766 being injured, all fans of Liverpool F.C....
and played his part as Liverpool won the FA Cup against Everton, winning 3–2 after extra time, but lost the League title in a decider
Liverpool 0–2 Arsenal (26 May 1989)
The final match of the 1988–89 English Football League season was contested on 26 May 1989, between Liverpool and Arsenal, at Liverpool's Anfield ground. By sheer coincidence, it was the match between the top two teams in the First Division and the teams were close enough on points for the match to...
against 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...
with virtually the last kick of the season. The campaign ended on a personal high for Nicol as he was named Footballer of the Year
Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year
The Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year is an annual award given to the player who is adjudged to have been the best of the season in English football...
by football writers. Like many others in the Liverpool squad, Hillsborough was the second tragedy Nicol had witnessed, four years earlier just before the 1985 European Cup final at the Heysel Stadium
Heysel Stadium disaster
The Heysel Stadium disaster occurred on 29 May 1985 when escaping fans were pressed against a wall in the Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium, as a result of rioting before the start of the 1985 European Cup Final between Liverpool of England and Juventus of Italy...
, Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
football hooligans had charged a section of, mainly, Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
supporters causing a retaining wall to collapse killing 39 people,
When Liverpool beat Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
9–0
Liverpool 9–0 Crystal Palace (1989)
On September 12, 1989, Liverpool faced Crystal Palace in the fifth game of the 1989-90 season. Crystal Palace were newly promoted to the Division, while Liverpool had been narrowly pipped to the League Title by Arsenal last season. Liverpool won the match 9–0, recording their biggest ever...
the following season to accumulate the club's biggest-ever League victory, Nicol was the only player to score twice, getting the first and last goals of the game in the seventh and 90th minutes. Liverpool regained the League title that season – their last to date – and, two years later, Nicol was in the team which, under Graeme Souness, won the FA Cup again in 1992 this time beating Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
2–0.
He remained a regular player for Liverpool until the start of the 1994–95 season
1994-95 in English football
-Premiership:Blackburn Rovers ended their 81-year wait for the league title thanks to the strike partnership of Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton which scored a total of more than 50 league goals. Manchester United would have made it three league titles in a row if they had been able to turn a 1-1 draw...
, when he was forced onto the sidelines with the arrival of new defenders Phil Babb
Phil Babb
Philip 'Phil' Andrew Babb is an English-born Irish former footballer who played as a central defender.Active in England and Portugal, he made over 300 professional career appearances, namely spending six Premier League seasons with Liverpool...
and John Scales
John Scales
John Robert Scales is an English former professional football player who played as a central defender.-Bristol Rovers:...
.
In 13 years at Anfield, he had played a total of 343 league games and scored 36 goals. He was the club's longest serving player in terms of unbroken service, although Ian Rush
Ian Rush
Ian James Rush, MBE, is a retired football player from Flint, Wales. He is best remembered as a player for Liverpool, where he was among the top strikers in the English game in the 1980s and 1990s. He also had spells playing at Chester City, Juventus, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield...
had joined the club more than a year before him his service had been disrupted by a year-long spell at Juventus.http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=42478
Notts County
Nicol stayed at Liverpool until 20 January 1995 when he took on the a player-coach role at Notts CountyNotts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
, being recruited by County's former 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...
manager Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall is an English football manager and former player. He is most famous for his connection to Everton, a club that he both played for and managed. His uncle Harry Taylor played for Newcastle United and Fulham in the 1950s....
. He stayed in the role for just 10 months playing 22 times, although he did receive his first taste of management at Meadow Lane
Meadow Lane
Not to be confused with The Meadow, home of Southern Football League Premier Division football team Chesham UnitedThe Meadow Lane Stadium is a football stadium in Nottingham, England...
when he took charge of the club with two other players for the final months of the Magpies' disastrous 1994-95
1994-95 in English football
-Premiership:Blackburn Rovers ended their 81-year wait for the league title thanks to the strike partnership of Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton which scored a total of more than 50 league goals. Manchester United would have made it three league titles in a row if they had been able to turn a 1-1 draw...
campaign. Unfortunately his efforts were not enough to save Notts County from relegation to Division Two.
Sheffield Wednesday
Following the end of the season, Nicol next moved to Sheffield WednesdaySheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
in the November of '95, where he made his debut against former derby rivals Everton 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...
on the 25 November a game which ended in a 2–2 draw. However, probably Nicol's best memory of his time at Hillsborough happened on 7 December 1996 when his Wednesday side travelled to his old stomping ground of Anfield, the Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
side completely nullified the Liverpool attack, which contained the likes of Robbie Fowler
Robbie Fowler
Robert Bernard Fowler is an English footballer who is currently player/manager for Thai Premier League club Muangthong United....
, Steve McManaman
Steve McManaman
Steven McManaman is a retired English footballer who played as a midfielder, winger and playmaker. Having spent his playing career at two of European football's most successful clubs of the 20th century, Liverpool and Real Madrid, as well as a spell at Manchester City, McManaman is the most...
and John Barnes
John Barnes (footballer)
John Charles Bryan Barnes MBE is an English football manager and former player.During his playing career, Barnes had successful periods at Watford and Liverpool in the 1980s and 1990s, winning the First Division twice, the FA Cup twice, and playing for England 79 times...
, and came away with a surprise 1–0 victory with Nicol playing a major part in the Wednesday defence.
English lower-divisions, move to America
Nicol went on to make 49 league appearances before spending a spell on loan at West Bromwich AlbionWest Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
during the 1997–98
1997-98 in English football
The 1997-1998 season was the 118th season of competitive football in England.-Premier League:Arsenal overhauled Manchester United's lead during the final weeks of the season to win the Premiership title...
season where he played nine games. He then had a short spell with Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
before heading to the U.S. to take a player-coach position with Boston Bulldogs
Boston Bulldogs (soccer)
The Boston Bulldogs were a soccer club originally founded in 1996 as the Worcester Wildfire. The team debuted in the USISL and would play in the A-League from 1997 to 2000...
of the A-League
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
in 1999.
In September of that year, he took over as interim player-coach with the New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
for the final two games of the season, winning both. He returned to Boston Bulldogs
Boston Bulldogs (soccer)
The Boston Bulldogs were a soccer club originally founded in 1996 as the Worcester Wildfire. The team debuted in the USISL and would play in the A-League from 1997 to 2000...
as player-coach for the 2000 and 2001 seasons before re-joining the Revs in 2002 as an assistant coach.
Coaching career
Nicol took over as head coach of New England RevolutionNew England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
on an interim basis initially, then permanently after 21 games, leading the team to the MLS Cup that season, and was named MLS Coach of the Year
MLS Coach of the Year Award
The MLS Coach of the Year Award is an award given by Major League Soccer to the best coach in any given season. The award has been given since the league's inception in 1996.-Winners:...
in his first year. The team has advanced to the MLS Eastern Conference Finals in each of his years as coach until 2008, and returned to the MLS Cup in 2005, 2006, and 2007. Nicol's Revolution has the unique distinction of having not scored a goal in regulation time in the first three of their four final appearances (losing all four). One of the coaches who worked under him is ex-Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
, Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
, 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...
and 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...
centre forward Paul Mariner
Paul Mariner
Paul Mariner is an English football coach, manager, and retired player, who is currently with Toronto FC.A striker during his playing days, Mariner began his career with Chorley. He became a professional player in 1973 with Plymouth Argyle, where he scored 61 goals in 155 appearances and is...
. On October 24, 2011, Nicol and the Revolution mutally decided to part ways, ending his 10 season tenure.
Personal
Nicol lives in Hopkinton, MassachusettsHopkinton, Massachusetts
Hopkinton is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, just under 30 miles west and south of Boston. The town is best known as the starting point of the Boston Marathon, held annually on Patriots' Day in April, and as the home of computer storage firm EMC Corporation.For geographic and demographic...
, with his wife Eleanor, their children Michael and Katy, and one grandson, Patrick.
Nicol still holds a place in the hearts of Liverpool supporters everywhere, this was shown in the 2006 poll 100 Players Who Shook The Kop which was compiled by the official Liverpool Football Club web site. 110,000 supporters worldwide took part in the poll in which they had to supply their favourite 100 Reds of all time. Nicol came in at a more than respectable 39th position. He is 17th in the all time list of appearances for Liverpool, with a total of 468 games for the Reds.
Honours
Liverpool
- Division 1 (Level 1): 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990
- European CupUEFA Champions LeagueThe 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...
: 1984 - FA CupFA CupThe 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...
: 1986, 1989, 1992 - Screen Sport Super Cup: 1986
- Charity Shield: 1986 (shared), 1989, 1989, 1990
- FWA Footballer of the YearFootball Writers' Association Footballer of the YearThe Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year is an annual award given to the player who is adjudged to have been the best of the season in English football...
1989
Runner-up
- Charity Shield: 1984, 1985
- Intercontinental Cup: 1984
- European Super CupEuropean Super CupThe UEFA Super Cup is an annual football game between the reigning champions of the two cup competitions organized by UEFA: the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League...
: 1984, 1985 - Division 1 (Level 1): 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991
- European CupUEFA Champions LeagueThe 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...
: 1985 - 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...
1987 - FA CupFA CupThe 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...
: 1988
New England Revolution
- US Open Cup 2007
- MLS Coach of the Year AwardMLS Coach of the Year AwardThe MLS Coach of the Year Award is an award given by Major League Soccer to the best coach in any given season. The award has been given since the league's inception in 1996.-Winners:...
2002 - MLS CupMLS CupThe MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
Runner-up: 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007 - North American SuperLigaNorth American SuperLigaThe SuperLiga was an official North American association football competition between teams from the Primera División of Mexico and Major League Soccer of the United States and Canada, the top divisions in each country. The competition was sanctioned by CONCACAF, U.S...
2008
External links
- Official Liverpool FC profile
- New England Revolution profile
- LFCHistory.net profile
- Liverpool seasonal record (part 1) 1981/82-1985/86 at sporting-heroes.net
- Liverpool seasonal record (part 2) 1986/87-1989/90 at sporting-heroes.net
- Liverpool seasonal record (part 3) 1990/91-1994/95 at sporting-heroes.net
- Sheffield Wednesday seasonal record 1995/96-1997/98 at sporting-heroes.net
- Scottish caps 1984–91 at sporting-heroes.net
- Profile of Nicol from Soccer New England