| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | John Purcell Nicholson | ||
| Date of birth | 21 September 1936 | ||
| Place of birth | Liverpool, England | ||
| Date of death | 3 September 1966 (aged 29) | ||
| Place of death | Doncaster, England | ||
| Playing position | Centre-half | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1957–1961 | Liverpool | 1 | (0) |
| 1961–1965 | Port Vale | 184 | (1) |
| 1965–1966 | Doncaster Rovers | 41 | (0) |
| Total | 226 | (1) | |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
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John Purcell Nicholson (2 September 1936 – 3 September 1966) was an English footballer.
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Nicholson joined Port Vale for a £2,000 fee from Liverpool in August 1961. He made his debut in 1–1 draw at Northampton Town on 2 September 1961, and 208 consecutive appearances later, on 8 September 1965, he had broken a club record. After being an ever-present for the 1962–63, 1963–64 and 1964–65 seasons he was dropped in September 1965 and sold to Doncaster Rovers for £5,000 that month, a move that outraged Vale supporters.[1]
His career was cut short when he was killed in a car crash in Doncaster. The Port Vale directors donated 100 guineas to his widow. He left behind his wife and a young son, Steven John Nicholson.