Nicholson George Image 1 Bolton Wanderers 1932

Description

Pelaw, Gateshead, County Durham born half back George Nicholson did not begin his professional football career until the relatively late age of twenty five. He had been working as a miner while playing amateur football but in 1931 he was spotted by a scout from Bolton Wanderers. The scout had originally travelled to the match to watch another player but quickly moved to sign up Nicholson. He made his Football League debut in a 2-2 draw with Liverpool in September 1931 and was a regular for the club until he was displaced by Harry Goslin. He spent time in the club’s reserves and jumped at the chance to play first team football again after a single goal in 67 matches for Thr Trotters when he signed for Cardiff City in 1936.

He was one of seven new signings made by the club in an attempt to steady the club which had been in decline for several years. Described as “sound and consistent… popular with spectators and a useful man in an emergency”, remained with the club for three years before signing for Oldham Athletic in the summer of 1939 after 98 matches for The Bluebirds, however his career was effectively ended by the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939 and he never made an appearance for The Latics.