It's sad to report the death of former Coventry City player Brian Nicholas at the age 88. An old-fashioned wing-half, Brian made 121 appearances for the club following spells at Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers. He was a key member of Coventry's 1959 Fourth Division promotion side but was one of several players who did not survive the arrival of Jimmy Hill in 1961.
Born in the mining village of Cwmaman near Aberdare in South Wales his parents moved to Slough when he was four years-old. At school he was a natural athlete – he won the 440 yards hurdles at the All-England Schools Championships and had a cricket trial with Middlesex but football was his first love. Despite being Welsh-born, in 1948, at the age of 14, he won four England Schoolboys caps, one of them against his country of birth in a game played at Highfield Road. Playing alongside future full internationals Norman Deeley and Albert Quixall, he helped England to a 2-1 victory in front of a 25,000 crowd. Another youngster in the team was Mark Jones who later signed for Manchester United. Brian and Mark were great pals and roomed together. Mark was tragically killed in the Munich Air Disaster in 1958, an event that deeply saddened Brian.
Within a year Brian, who had a shocking head of red hair back then, had left school, signed as an apprentice for QPR and on 7 May 1949, at the age of 16 years and 17 days he made his debut for the Second Division side at home to Leeds United. Leeds had their own prodigious 16-year-old that day, John Charles, who went on to become a Welsh legend.
Brian turned professional on his 17th birthday but didn't appear in QPR's first team until 1950 mainly due to National Service commitments. After making five appearances in 1950-51 and six the following season, he became a regular first-teamer in 1952-53 by which time the R's were in Division Three South. Brian had other talents on the pitch - in 1954 against Bristol City he went in goal for fifteen minutes when the QPR 'keeper was knocked out. A week later with both QPR 'keepers on the injured list he played in goal from the start against Torquay. He let in two goals in the first half but kept the Torquay forwards at bay in the second half as QPR came back to win 4-2. In all he played 120 games for Rangers, scoring two goals and in 1955 was selected to play for the London XI v Swiss club Basle in the inaugural Inter Cities Fairs Cup. There was talk that season of him being selected for the full Wales side and in the summer of 1955 Brian moved across West London to recently crowned First Division champions Chelsea then managed by the legendary Ted Drake.
At Stamford Bridge competition for places was stiff and Brian had two excellent wing halves ahead of him in England international Ken Armstrong and Derek Saunders. He played 10 games in the first season including four games in seven days in February as Burnley took the Pensioners to four replays in their FA Cup tie. He was remembered at Chelsea for his lack of hair – he lost most of his hair by the time he was twenty! Over three seasons he played 29 games for the Blues and appeared against numerous Coventry past and future players including goalkeeper Reg Matthews, John Sillett, Alan Dicks and Bobby Laverick as well as a 17-year-old goalscoring sensation Jimmy Greaves.
In January 1958, languishing in Chelsea's reserves, Coventry's recently appointed manager Billy Frith swooped to sign Brian for a 'substantial' fee. City were in the bottom half of the old Third Division South and looking odds-on to be 'relegated' to the new Fourth Division in the divisional reorganisation at the end of the season. Two days later Brian made his debut at right half at Torquay in a 1-0 defeat and so poor was City's form that none of Brian's first nine games were won. His home debut came a week later against Brentford and after a 0-0 draw Nemo in the Coventry Telegraph reported: 'Nicholas, making his home debut promised well. He was fearless in defence and always fought for the ball.'
The team's away form was dire with 21 goals conceded in five games including a 7-1 loss at Southampton and any hope of avoiding relegation disappeared. Despite a brief flurry of wins at the end City finished 19th.
The following season was a different matter and the team were always in contention for promotion with Brian an influential player in the middle of the park. From the end of September the team were never out of the top four and the shrewd signings of Paddy Ryan, Ronnie Farmer and Arthur Lightening ensured that manager Frith led them to promotion at the first attempt.
The 1959 promotion squad with Brian third from left on front row
The team hit the top of the table in early December and Brian was given the accolade of 'Player of the Year' by Nemo in the Coventry Telegraph. On Boxing Day at home to Torquay however tragedy struck when Brian sustained a serious ligament injury which kept him out of action for three months and meant he missed the promotion run in.
Back in Division Three the following season the Bantams almost made it successive promotions but missed out after two bad defeats at Easter, finishing fifth. Brian was an ever present until a loss of form at the end of March after which City's promotion challenge faltered. In 1960-61 he started the season as captain but inconsistent form cost him his place and played only 10 games all season and went on the transfer list at one stage. City's upward momentum however stalled and they finished 15th but Brian was back to full fitness in 1961-62 in what was to be a momentous watershed season in the club's history.
Brian started that season as the first-choice right half but results were very patchy and things came to head in November with home defeats to Crystal Palace and Kings Lynn, in the FA Cup. Frith was sacked and in came Jimmy Hill and the revolution started. Brian initially retained his place in the new regime but by March 1962 with Farmer fit again after injury Hill preferred him to Brian. It was no surprise at the end of the season when he was given a free transfer. In total he made 121 appearances for the club but never scored a goal.
Settled with his family in Coventry, Brian decided not to take up offers in league football but signed for Southern league club Rugby Town. He had a brief spell as player-manager with Hinckley Athletic but after suffering knee problems he left the game in October 1963, aged 30, and went to work at Massey-Ferguson, Coventry where he worked until retirement. There he teamed up with many old playing colleagues including Reg Matthews, Alf Wood and eventually Ronnie Farmer. After retiring from Massey he worked as a driver for Europa Cars well into his 80s.
In the modern game Brian would be classed as a defensive midfield player, steady, skilled and a strong tackler but capable of defence splitting passes. He was an effective defender in an era when pitches were not the best and opposing forwards were rugged and uncompromising. He was a popular member of the Former Players Association (CCFPA) and attended virtually every Legends Day before Covid. He was great pals with Lol Harvey, who passed away last year and they and their wives were also regulars at Diamond Club lunches.
Brian died peacefully, surrounded by his family. He had been married to his wife Margaret for 65 years and he and Margaret had two children, Kevin and Kim, six grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. Brian loved football and was a regular at Sky Blues home games over many years, enjoying friendly banter with friends such as Lol Harvey and Ronnie Farmer and often accompanied by several generations of his family. Brian was a true gentleman and a genuinely nice man who will be missed by all that knew him.
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