Nicholl started his career at Burnley, but after failing to make a breakthrough, he dropped down to non-league side Witton Albion.
[4][3] This was the second time that this feat had been achieved in the top tier English football and followed Sam Wynne's record during a 1923 fixture between Oldham Athletic and Manchester United.
[6] Nicholl signed for Southampton in June 1977 and became the backbone of a successful side, missing only three league games in his first season as the club were promoted back to the top flight.
[7] In 1979, Nicholl appeared in his third League Cup final, but stated he neglected his "job" of clearing his lines by opting to "control" the ball which allowed Gary Birtles to score.
[8] Nicholl joined Grimsby Town in August 1983, and helped them to a fifth-placed finish in Division Two in his first season at the club.
[13] He kept the Saints in the First Division but despite having players of the calibre of Danny and Rod Wallace, Alan Shearer and Matthew Le Tissier in his squad, he tended to be too cautious.
These included: Matthew Le Tissier, one of the most prolific strikers in the English league during the 1990s; Alan Shearer, sold to Blackburn Rovers for a British record fee in 1992 and then to Newcastle United for a world record fee in 1996, as well as scoring 30 goals for England; Rod Wallace, who helped Leeds United win the league title a year after leaving Southampton in 1991, and later won several Scottish trophies with Rangers.
[26] Nicholl remains popular amongst Walsall fans, but was not offered the manager's job – which later went to former Birmingham City captain Kevan Broadhurst.
[30] In the BBC documentary 'Dementia, Football and Me' hosted by Alan Shearer, Nicholl revealed he often forgot where he lived due to his dementia, stating that he was "brain-damaged from heading balls".