Nicky English

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(Nicholas) "Nicky" English is a former Irish sportsman who played hurling for Tipperary in the 1980s and 1990s.

Nicky English was born in a little village on the Tipperary-Limerick border in 1962. Although his local club had no hurling tradition he practised his skills alone. He later attended and played hurling with the Abbey Christian Brothers School in Tipperary town, where he shared in the school's Croke Cup and Rice Cup battles. He also won a Fitzgerald Shield over Rockwell College. In 1979 English made it onto the Tipperary minor hurling side, but was eventually dropped from the team. He made his way back onto the team and won the All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship in 1980 with Tipp. In 1981 English had made it onto the under-21 side, where he shared in Tipperary's third All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship victory in-a-row, and subsequently graduated onto the senior side in time for the championship of 1982.

The teams first success came in 1987 when they defeated the reigning All-Ireland champions Cork in the Munster Final. The following year English won his second Munster medal and captained the side in the All-Ireland final after the controversial dropping of the original captain, Pa O'Neill. Tipp were beaten by Galway that time, but the team returned in 1989 winning the Munster Championship and making it to the All-Ireland final again. If English and Tipperary had lost that final it would have been the first decade in GAA history in which the Premier County had failed to win an All-Ireland. Surprisingly Antrim provided the opposition, however, they were wiped off the pitch on a scoreline of 4-24 to 3-9. English himself amassed a personal tally of 2-12, betaing Eddie Keher's old record of 2-11 to install himself as the highest scorer ever in an All-Ireland final. The year ended with him winning his sixth All Star Award and being named Texaco Hurler of the Year.

In 1990 Tipperary were beaten by Cork in the Munster final and were knocked out of the championship. They returned in 1991 to win further Munster and All-Ireland honours but the team was in decline now. English won ghis fifth Munster medal in 1993, as well as a National Hurling League title in 1994. In 1996, after 15 years playing fo his county, Englis retired from the game. He returned as manager in 1998, guiding the team to Munster and All-Ireland victories in 2001.

Preceded by: Tony Keady (Galway)	Texaco Hurler of the Year 1989	Succeeded by: Tony O'Sullivan (Cork)
Preceded by: Len Gaynor	Tipperary Senior Hurling Manager 1999-2002	Succeeded by: Michael Doyle