Steve Nicol facts for kids
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Nicol at the 2005 MLS SuperDraft
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Stephen Nicol | ||
| Date of birth | 11 December 1961 | ||
| Place of birth | Troon, Scotland | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Right back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1970–1977 | Troon Thistle | ||
| 1977–1979 | Ayr United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1979–1981 | Ayr United | 70 | (7) |
| 1981–1994 | Liverpool | 343 | (36) |
| 1994–1996 | Notts County | 32 | (2) |
| 1996–1998 | Sheffield Wednesday | 49 | (0) |
| 1998 | → West Bromwich Albion (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| 1998–1999 | Doncaster Rovers | 25 | (0) |
| 1999–2001 | Boston Bulldogs | 41 | (0) |
| Total | 569 | (46) | |
| International career | |||
| 1981–1984 | Scotland U-21 | 14 | (0) |
| 1984–1992 | Scotland | 27 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1995 | Notts County | ||
| 1999 | New England Revolution (interim) | ||
| 2000–2001 | Boston Bulldogs | ||
| 2002–2011 | New England Revolution | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Stephen Nicol (born December 11, 1961) is a Scottish former professional footballer. He mostly played as a right back but could also play in other defense and midfield positions. He was a key player for the very successful Liverpool teams in the 1980s. Steve also played regularly for the Scotland national team and represented his country at the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
Nicol started his football journey with his local club, Ayr United. He then moved to Liverpool in 1981. During his 14 years with Liverpool, he won five English league championships, three FA Cup medals, and the 1984 European Cup. After leaving Liverpool, Nicol played for several other English teams. These included Notts County, Sheffield Wednesday, and Doncaster Rovers. In 1999, he moved to the United States. He later became the coach of the New England Revolution. He was the longest-serving head coach for a single club in MLS. Today, Nicol works as a commentator for ESPN FC.
Contents
Steve Nicol's Football Journey
Starting Out at Ayr United
Steve Nicol began playing football at age 9 with a team called Troon Thistle. When he was 16, he joined Ayr United. He started playing for their main team in 1979. He spent just over two seasons with the Scottish club, playing in 70 league games. Then, in October 1981, Liverpool manager Bob Paisley decided to sign Nicol. It cost Liverpool £300,000, which turned out to be a great deal!
Becoming a Star at Liverpool
Nicol joined Liverpool when the club was in a very strong period. He had to wait almost a year to play his first senior game for Liverpool. It took him two years to become a regular player in the first team.
He finally made his debut for the "Reds" on August 31, 1982. It was a 0–0 league draw against Birmingham City. He played in three more league games that season. Liverpool won the league championship that year. However, Nicol did not play enough games to get a winner's medal.
Winning Trophies with Liverpool
Nicol became a regular player in the 1983–84 season under the new manager, Joe Fagan. He scored his first goal for the club on October 22, 1983. It was a 1–0 league win against Queens Park Rangers. By the end of his first full season, he won a League championship medal. He had not played enough games the season before to qualify for one.
He did not play in the League Cup final that year. Liverpool beat their rivals Everton in that game. However, he came on as a substitute in the European Cup final against Roma. The game ended in a 1–1 draw and went to a penalty shootout. Nicol missed his penalty, but Liverpool still won the competition!
Nicol became a regular starter for many seasons after that. In 1986, he helped Liverpool win both the league championship and the FA Cup. This is known as a "double." They beat Everton to win the league and then beat them 3–1 in the FA Cup final. He also started playing for the Scottish national team. He would go on to play 27 times for Scotland and play in the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico.
Steve was a very flexible player. He often played as a right back after Phil Neal left in 1985. But he also played as a left back, in the middle of defense, and even in midfield. Sometimes, he even played as a forward! His teammates gave him the nickname 'Chopsy'.
Goal-Scoring Defender
In the 1987–88 season, Nicol scored many goals. This was impressive because he played in a defensive position. He scored a memorable hat-trick against Newcastle United. He also scored an amazing long-range header to win a game against Arsenal. Liverpool easily won the league title that season. However, they lost the FA Cup final 1–0 to Wimbledon. Nicol had a chance to score and force extra time, but his header went just over the goal.
A year later, Nicol helped Liverpool win the FA Cup again, beating Everton 3–2 after extra time. But they lost the League title to Arsenal in the very last game of the season. Despite this, Nicol had a great personal achievement. He was named the Footballer of the Year by football writers.
Difficult Times and More Success
Steve Nicol and his teammates attended many funerals and memorial services for the 96 fans who passed away at the Hillsborough disaster. This was a very sad time for the club and its players. Four years earlier, before the 1985 European Cup final, another tragic event happened at the Heysel Stadium. As a result, English clubs were banned from playing in European competitions for five years. Liverpool was banned for six years. Nicol was one of the few players who stayed with Liverpool until the ban was lifted.
In the 1989–90 season, Liverpool beat Crystal Palace 9–0. This was the club's biggest-ever league victory. Nicol was the only player to score twice in that game. Liverpool won the league title again that season. This was their last league title until 2019–20. Two years later, in 1992, Nicol was part of the team that won the FA Cup again. They beat Sunderland 2–0.
He continued to be a regular player for Liverpool until the 1994–95 season. New defenders Phil Babb and John Scales joined the team, and Nicol played less often. His last game for Liverpool was a League Cup match against Burnley in October 1994.
In his 13 years at Anfield, he played 343 league games and scored 36 goals. When he left, he was the player who had been with the club the longest without a break.
Moving to Other English Clubs
Nicol left Liverpool on January 20, 1995. He joined Notts County as a player and assistant coach. He stayed there for only 10 months, playing 32 games. When the manager was fired, Nicol took charge of the team with two other players for a short time. But he could not save Notts County from being moved down to a lower division.
After that season, Nicol moved to Sheffield Wednesday in November 1995. He played 49 league games there. One of his best memories was helping Sheffield Wednesday beat Liverpool 1–0 at Anfield in December 1996. Nicol played a big part in their strong defense that day.
He then had a short loan spell at West Bromwich Albion in the 1997–98 season, playing nine games. After that, he played briefly for Doncaster Rovers.
Moving to America and Coaching
In 1999, Steve Nicol moved to the U.S. He became a player-coach for the Boston Bulldogs. In September of that year, he became the temporary player-coach for the New England Revolution in Major League Soccer. He won both of the last two games of the season. He then returned to the Boston Bulldogs as player-coach for 2000 and 2001. In 2002, he rejoined the Revolution as an assistant coach.
Steve Nicol's Coaching Career
Steve Nicol's coaching journey began at Notts County F.C. as an assistant coach and player. After the manager left, Nicol became the temporary manager.
In 1999, he moved to the United States to play for the Boston Bulldogs. He soon became their player-manager.
Leading the New England Revolution
On September 30, 1999, Nicol took over as interim coach for the New England Revolution in Major League Soccer.
After the 1999 season, Nicol went back to the Boston Bulldogs. But he rejoined the Revolution as an assistant coach on January 10, 2002. On May 23, 2002, he was again named interim manager.
In his first year as head coach, Nicol led the Revolution to their first-ever MLS Cup final. Because of this success, he was named MLS Coach of the Year. He officially became the head coach of the Revolution on November 6, 2002.
Nicol became one of the most successful coaches in MLS history. He was the most successful manager in Revolution history. He brought a period of "sustained excellence" to the club during his ten years as head coach.
Under Nicol's leadership, the Revolution reached the MLS Eastern Conference Finals every year until 2008. They also made it to the MLS Cup final in 2005, 2006, and 2007. They made the playoffs every year for seven seasons in a row. He was also a finalist for MLS Coach of the Year in 2005.
In 2007, Nicol helped the Revolution win their first trophy ever. They won the U.S. Open Cup final against FC Dallas. The next season, Nicol guided the Revolution to their first international trophy. They won the 2008 North American SuperLiga against Houston Dynamo FC.
While coaching the Revolution, Nicol was chosen to represent Major League Soccer several times. In 2005, he coached the "MLS Select Team" against Real Madrid CF. He also coached the MLS All-Stars twice, in 2007 against Celtic F.C. and in 2008 against West Ham United F.C..
In 2010, Nicol led the Revolution back to the SuperLiga final. However, they lost to Atlético Morelia. The Revolution also missed the playoffs for the first time under Nicol in 2010. They missed them again in the 2011 season. On October 24, 2011, Nicol and the Revolution decided to part ways. This ended his 10-season time as coach. Nicol left the Revolution as the club's longest-serving manager. He led the club in games coached, wins, and playoff appearances.
On November 4, 2012, Nicol was honored by being added to the New England Soccer Hall of Fame.
Steve Nicol's Achievements
As a Player
Liverpool
- League Champion: 1983–84, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1989–90
- FA Cup Winner: 1985–86, 1988–89, 1991–92
- European Cup Winner: 1983–84
As a Manager
New England Revolution
- North American SuperLiga Winner: 2008
- U.S. Open Cup Winner: 2007
Individual Awards
- Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year: 1989
- MLS Coach of the Year Award: 2002
See also
In Spanish: Steve Nicol para niños
