Chris Nicholl - RIP

[yellow&blue]

Sad to hear of the passing of our former player and manager.  Yes he certainly had his ups and downs with us but i idolised him as a youngster growing up.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

His teams of the late 80's and early 90's were a joy to watch. Plenty of entertainment and goals. A sad loss. 

[Yorkshire Saint]

Very sad to hear. Some of his teams were tremendous to watch aka the 4-1 win v Liverpool 

[Toadhall Saint]

Loved watching him as a player and his teams. RIP fella 

[Hamwic]

Enjoyed watching him play and a real gentleman with it. While out walking his dogs on the common he stopped to watch me taking shots at my young son 'in goal' then came over and gave him some coaching on how to deal with different attempts. 

[Cabrone]

That's sad to hear, as a player he was a rock solid CB and as a manager his teams always provided fantastic entertainment. Tiss, Shearer and Rod Wallace came through under him. RIP Chris Nicholl.

[Badger]

Sad news.

He took on an impossible role of following on from Lawrie, and took the club close to glory but for some bad luck. The job he did and style of play wasn't fully appreciated until it was emphasised by what followed. 

[saintstowin]

Very sad to hear this and of his struggles in later life. I didn't see him play however as a child I was lucky enough to be at the 4-1 Liverpool game and I still think that's my favourite ever match. That season had some incredible attacking football.

Edited 25 February, 2024 by saintstowin

[Toussaint]

Very sad news.

[CB Fry]

 

My first manager, really. The Lawrie years was something my dad and brothers talked about.

But this, this was my team.

Thanks for the memories.

[madge]

That 4-2-4 line when he was the manager was great to watch. Such sad news

[Saint_clark]

Time moves too quickly. 

RIP.

[aintforever]

Sad to hear that. That Liverpool 4-1 is still my favourite ever Saints game. That front 4 of Wallace, Shearer, Ridout and Le Tissier was awesome. RIP Chris.

[John Boy Saint]

Ah that’s sad news to hear - liked him as a player and manager - RIP Sir 😢

[Sheaf Saint]

Very sad news indeed. Never saw him play, but he was manager when I began supporting Saints and that team he had in 1989/90 was a real joy to watch. 

Rest in Peace.

[VectisSaint]

Sad news, was great for us both as player and manager.

[Chewy]

Really sorry to hear - sending my best wishes to his family.
Just about remember his as a (fine) player, but more so as a manager. Will never forget the 4-1 posted above, as good as it ever got.

Didn’t know him at all but everyone talks of what a decent human he was and he always came across as such. 
RIP

[TheAlehouseBrawlers]

Sad news. Great service to SFC as player and manager but one abiding memory was him scoring all four goals in a 2-2 Villa v Leicester game.

RIP

[Morse]

Great player, proper commanding presence at the heart of our defence, and he was a much better manager than many gave him credit for at the time, me included. RIP big fella. 

 

[RedWillie]

RIP Big Chris. Met him  pre Watford away back in the day. Wished him luck for the game. Scored an own goal and broke his nose. RIP mate.

[bangkoksaint]

RIP. A Saints stalwart 

[S-Clarke]

RIP - Sad news. Before my time in both playing and managerial roles, but he was only 77 - way too young to go.

[bangkoksaint]

[millsy]

Sad news. RIP

[Dr Who?]

Loved him as our manager. R.I.P 

[Miltonaggro]

I used to love watching Chris Nicholl for Saints, especially alongside Dave Watson, the epitome of a no nonsense hard as nails centre half.  Superlative in the air, and with Watson that pairing provided the best aerial pairing in the top flight at the time.  I can't recall him giving any less than 100% and he played more games for Saints (in those great Saints sides), than any other club.  His time as manager also provides a lot of fond memories, and he got as near to anyone else to creating the nous / youth flair of those McMenemy sides, the likes of Case and Co. pulling the strings and Flowers, Shearer, the Wallaces, and Le Tissier coming through the ranks.  We realised what we'd lost very soon after he left the club, particularly with that 4-2-4 disembowelling of cocky Liverpool frequently spoken of through the lean 90s.  Last few years have been tough for Chris and his family by all accounts, but he'll always be loved by the Saints family.  RIP big man. 

 

  

[Bad Wolf]

Only 77 too. Really no age these days. R.I.P

[johnnyboy]

R.I.P Always a saint , a great man

[Dimond Geezer]

My wife just broke the news to me.

A proper no-nonsense old school centre-half, who as a manager gave us a couple of semi finals and and a string of memorable players. Had the pleasure of chatting to him one lunch time, as he was about to enter the Mayflower to buy some tickets for a show, he was happy to spend 10 minutes chatting to a starstruck 19 year old, and autographing the back if my cheque book. Which I still have.

RiP big man.

[JRM]

2 hours ago, CB Fry said:

 

My first manager, really. The Lawrie years was something my dad and brothers talked about.

But this, this was my team.

Thanks for the memories.

Same for me mate, I was 9 in the 89/90 season and had become full on Saints mad, I could still name that side and recall most of the results mainly thanks to watching the CBS FOX goals of the season video over and over again the following summer, was also a mascot when Chris was manager, genuine top bloke , we had some great years under him and some very memorable games. 

RIP 

[wadesmith]

Suprised that he was 4 months away from being 31 when he signed for us. Then played 228 games. There can’t be many players we’ve signed over 30 that have racked up over 200 appearances with us. Looking back it was a glorious era, and a fantastic player

Edited 25 February, 2024 by wadesmith

[Saint_John]

Chris was famous in his playing days at Villa when he scored all FOUR goals in a 2-2 draw.

https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,,-3362,00.html#:~:text=The game was between Leicester,a number of different clubs.

"The game was between Leicester City and Aston Villa, in March 1976. The man who scored all four goals was Chris Nicholl, a Northern Ireland international."

Also I believe he scored an own-goal that gave Saints their victory at Villa Park in the 76 Cup. The goal was the ET winning goal but was given to Jim McCalliog. However, I was behind the goal that night (muddy bank behind the goal) and Jim shot took a massive deflection off Chris that left the GK (Burridge) on one knee by the left hand post and the ball travelled slowly towards the other post. As I remember it had enough pace to cross the line but not enough to hit the back of the net. 

I am sure today with cameras at every game it would have been given as a og.

So Chris helped us win the FA Cup in 76  

 

[Turkish]

the 89/90 season was amazing and probably one of the best seasons i remember. We were a brilliant team, scored some great goals. I was 13 and it was the first season i had started going with my mates. Do our paper round on a saturday morning, get our £6, go training for our Tyro league team then bus into town, buy either a match programme or a fanzine, £2 to get in then, stand at the back of the Milton under the family centre for the game then get some chips from the chippy in Bedford Place and bus home. Was a great time to be a young Saints fan. 

Met Chris Nicholl a few times around then, school trips to the Dell, junior Saints things, he was a lovely guy and always said hello.

[Living the nightmare]

Fantastic for the club as both player and manager and a true gent as well. Remember at Weymouth in a pre season friendly around 86/87 he walked round the pitch with saints fans having a good day out on the piss sitting on the grass around the pitch with backs against the perimeter wall just talking and chatting to everyone. Imagine anyone involved in the game at that level doing that these days. RIP always a Saint. 

[saintquin]

Sad news. Gave everything on the pitch and very nice man off it!

[Lord Duckhunter]

Sad news. Really good player & a decent manager. Had an impossible task following Lawrie, but did extremely well in the circumstances which wasn’t really appreciated at the time. RIP Chris, one of the good guys. 

[teamsaint]

Very sad news. Great player for us, such an important part of building a promotion side,and as part of probably our best ever team in the early 80s, and did as much as could be expected following Lawrie as manager .

A sad end to a distinguished life. As a player my main memory will be of seeing that thunderous long distance goal for Villa in the League Cup Final second replay at Old Trafford.A truly classic football moment.

RIP

[washsaint]

Very sad news - RIP.  I remember him as a player and then manager.  True non nonsense CB and as others have said, had a great partnership with Dave Watson.  As a manager, some of the play was unbelievable but what I remember most is his fall out with Mark Dennis and the demonstration at the Dell calling for Dennis to be reinstated (where I got bitten by a police dog!).

Only after he left did it become clear what a great job he did.

[Chez]

5 hours ago, CB Fry said:

 

My first manager, really. The Lawrie years was something my dad and brothers talked about.

But this, this was my team.

Thanks for the memories.

Likewise. Loved watching that side with letiss and Rodney on the wing. Not sure how it all went wrong but treasured the good times.

Met Chris many times when I was a nipper and he seemed like a really nice bloke. 

[64saint]

Sad news.  Gave everything as a player and after taking over from Laurie put together another exiting team when manager. RIP.

[Jimmy_D]

Very sad news  

RIP

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

A very sad day. Like others have said that 4-1 win over Liverpool was my favourite game. 

[DT]

Very sad about this. I once saw and recognised Chris Nicholl after I had been playing football as a kid at Monksbrook. He was sitting having a drink - of coke or something - outside Sperrings. He saw that I saw him and was too shy to approach for an autograph. And that half of me didn’t want to intrude in his life. As he drove past he waved. I like to think he appreciated him not bothering him but I could have made all that up. Honourable man. Good player. Proper Saint. RIP

[Fan The Flames]

Loved Chris as a player and manager, he had more to give as a manager and I was gutted when he left. He was a very big part of the good times, sad news.

[SNSUN]

Sad news. I began supporting Saints in '89 but didn't really start following them seriously until I went to my senior school in '94 (The Alan Ball first managerial season was the first I really remember most vividly) so the era that Chris Nicholl was manager passed me by despite him being here when I picked Saints to be my team. That said I've read a lot about him since through books like Duncan's Alphabet of the Saints etc and I know he was a big part of the club for years. RIP. 

[Winnersaint]

Very sad. Condolences to his family and all those who played with him and were managed by him. Remember him as a rock at the heart of our defence with Dave Watson and then as manager with the Nicholl  4-2-4. MLT and Shearer were debutants on his watch. RIP.

 

 

[SW11_Saint]

A fantastic player for us in a wonderful era, and an underrated manager. Recall Trevor Francis talking about us (under CN’s guidance) being the best exponents of ‘contropiede’ (counter attacking) he’d seen after we beat QPR 0-4 at Loftus Road. 

Can’t recall if it was that result or another thumping win, but bumped into him at a newsagents on Winchester Road after a match (both buying ‘The Pink’). Congratulated him, and got a chuckle, a wink and “Well I enjoyed it!”. 

RIP Chris.

 

[Tamesaint]

Met him once on a train just after he signed for us and was returning home to Birmingham . Fantastic player. Good manager but overall a smashing bloke. Very sad news. 

[musesaint]

Sad news after a long and difficult battle. 

[eurosaint]

Great player

Great manager

Great man

The players union needs to do more about dementia !

RIP Chris