Some great names, many great memories, and so heart warming stories from great great connections to our famous Huddersfield Town.

(Article posted 02/12/06)

This man proved to the generation that saw him play to be rightly included in the Legends list. There would be few that could doubt that this Irish man (often dubbed the new George Best) is a true legend of Huddersfield Town.

For those that saw Jimmy Nicholson on the hallowed turf of Leeds Road few would ever be far from calling this great man "a hero". For many Jimmy Nick is a true legend, and takes his rightful place in thisisthebarmyarmy.co.uk's Legends list

He was brought into Leeds Road by Tom Johnston and captained Town to the 1969/1970 second division title under the guidance of manager Ian Greaves. He remains club's most capped international player and having signed from Manchester United he spent a glorious nine years at Town before moving to Bury in 1973.

For £7,500 during his initial time had it's ups and downs, but as time ticked by and the 21 year old grew older, the signing of Nicholson would prove to be one of the shrewdest player purchases in the history of our famous Huddersfield Town.

Jimmy now lives in Manchester, and rightfully features in the new club publication "The Fans Favourites".

Read Jimmy's thoughts of the club now and then ...

What is your impression of Huddersfield Town now?
I do like to look up the results on a Sat/Sun (or week-day) to find out how the lads are going on but feel a little isolated on the sunny side of the Pennines! Here in Manchester I am ever hopeful for a revival in fortunes with such a nice stadium & set up which is an absolute credit to the club & Town. I also follow the fortunes of the Rugby League team who seem to be having quite a good season.

What did you think on joining Town?
I was grateful for the opportunity at the time and the connection with Ian Greaves & Henry Cockburn (two great blokes) whose enthusiasm seemed to lift everyone at the club. I had been impressed by my old colleague at Old Trafford John Giles who moved to Leeds Utd and played a great part in the revival of that great old club who eventually became champions and competed in Europe.

I had thought at that time that with the great traditions of Hudd's Town that something similar could happen at Leeds Road.

Any regrets later in joining/leaving Town
No regrets & enjoyed my time at Leeds Road - made a lot of good friends, thoroughly enjoyed my football. There were a lot of great characters around the club, some very good footballers and a management who seemed to want to bring success to the club.

Memories of Town?
Early - own goal against Ipswich Town on my debut. A perfect glorious header at the near post. Past my old mate Ray Wood (ex Man Utd). The game was played on an icy pitch near Christmas and as I tried to jump to head the ball clear, my feet went backwards and got a perfect glance on the ball much to the amusement of all the Ipswich lads who congratulated me heartedly on scoring on my debut!

Woody was not amused and commented that I could never head the ball properly!

Vivid - Invitation to Downing Street to meet the then Prime Minister Harold Wilson with my family. I had a great night and Harold showed me a snapshot/postcard of the old Hudd's Town championship side who won the title on three consecutive occasions. He had it in his wallet. He used to come to matches in the London area and come into the dressing room when he got the chance (with his pipe & gannex).

My wife and I were the last to leave that night about 4am along with Billy Bremner and Jack Charlton who had also been invited.

Now - the last memories I have was when I travelled over to the old ground at Leeds Road to do a television interview just before the old place was closed down! As I walked around the terracing after the interview I had a great sense of unease and sadness at the closure of such a great old stadium with such a history!

However I am very proud of the great strides that football in general has taken, and it seems that every week a new stadium opens, where people can watch games in comfort and families can attend and enjoy the spectacle.

Most memorable moment?
I was rated as the worst tackler in the League by my teammates likewise heading so probably a volleyed goal in a quarterfinal cup-tie against Fulham from a great cross/pull back from Frank Worthington who later apologised to me for his perfect cross!

Longest lasting Town memory?
The promotion year in all its entirety! See the History section for our special five part series.

What do you think of the current state of soccer?
Football should never be the plaything of wealthy men. I do believe that

Supporters who love their clubs should run their own clubs. Top to bottom! No arguments! I believe in income/expenditure caps to be legally and fairly introduced and adhered to.

The current salaries are crazy/mad and place clubs in financially dire situations. Just think what we could have achieved if that money had been invested in grass roots football around the country & great facilities created in every village, town and city in the country.

This would attract our own young talent to come through and provide us with a great opportunity for homegrown footballers to fill our local clubs at all levels!

We have arrived at this situation through weak leadership from the F.A. & Football League and too much interference in our affairs by E.U. regulations such as Bosman and transfer windows which do nothing for our system & hamper the efforts of all involved in football.

Do you still follow the Town results or any other Club or Sports?
I check each weekend for town's results and am ever hopeful that they can come through again to premiership status!

I am a keen admirer of Rugby League football and follow ardently the up and downs of Wigan RFC often going down to the JJB stadium or to Knowsley Rd (home of St Helens). Rugby League have got their act together in a way which puts football to shame.

1. Financially the salary/income/expenditure cap works magnificently and this allows smaller clubs to come through and not be out of their depth and compete on equal terms.
2. Their use of technology is excellent and is greatly enjoyed by the supporters (it contributes to the enjoyment of the occasion).
3. Technology is used as an aid to the referee who has this support to fall back on when doubt remains on tight calls (which also helps to control the game) as players cannot argue with the precision of the video evidence.
4. The sin bin is a very effective control and punishment for 15 mins which has a more punitive effect on the sinning teams.
5. Players accept decisions without argument and simply walk away even from the hardest decision when they go against them.

The move to a summer season was a brilliant (& very brave move), which means they do not have to compete with football. Rugby League attendance's are growing in spectacular fashion and you very rarely watch a bad game. The rules allow for good open-running handling rugby league.

Your best match in a Town shirt and Why? and the Result?
Against a very strong Derby side at Leeds Road. Derby were an excellent team later to go on to great things. Brian Clough was the manager at the time and Town and Derby both gave a great display of football and it was a pleasure to participate in such a high quality game. I think the result was 2-0 to Town.

What do you think of the Town fans - then? & now?
I am still waiting for a Town fan to buy me a pint! They could equally be mean spirited (Yorkies!) grudgingly to give approval and not slow to voice their disapproval. However there remains a hard core of some 5to6000 who gave consistent support to the team.

What do you think the future holds for Town?
Town must go for a top quality manager preferably with good contacts abroad.

Arsene Wenger at Arsenal should be an example - of the type of person whom I am thinking of. He has transformed Arsenal with his high intelligence his coaching ideas - which were garnered from his time in Europe where he could study the likes of Spain, Italy, Holland & German techniques and apply them to his own coaching ideas. He has done a magnificent job with a club which only averages 31; 33,000 supporters. Wenger was virtually unknown when he arrived in England and suffered a lot of unjustified criticism before establishing himself as a top quality manager. It is a delight to watch his teams play football.

Not only that but his relationship with his Chairman is prolific and the planning for the future of Arsenal FC both on and off the field is and must be exciting for every Arsenal supporter. They will be looking forward to their new stadium with 60,000 capacity and a very exciting bunch of young footballers. Who have been recruited by Wenger and his contacts and purchased for relatively small sums of money.

THIS IS EXCELLENT MANAGEMENT

There must be another Wenger out there somewhere! So Town must get out there and find him- the search will be worthwhile

What are you doing now?
After finishing football (unable to obtain a coaching or management position in the game). I went back to college to study has management and business studies for 2 years full time at the Abraham Moss Centre in Crumpsall Manchester sponsored by tops teams agency (now defunct) & also 12 mths sponsored by the players union!

After scratching around for a few years doing various things I applied to TBC for a position to develop an old warehouse in a lovely park in Sale next to the Bridgewater Canal (sports cen). I am still there now after massive internal re-structuring of the building which is still challenging and stimulating and I enjoy it immensely and it is only 5 mins walking distance to my home.

If you had one wish, what would it be?
I bet you wished you'd never asked me these question don't you?!

Sorry the replies are so long winded but I would rather do this justice than reply with a load of nonsense.

I take it that you are asking me for a sporting wish? If so -then I would like to see a sporting revolution in this country with sporting facilities top of the agenda. I would like to see all our kids given a chance to participate in a quality-sporting set-up. To be given encouragement and backing.

To get them off the street, to educate them to exercise and correct diet which would have a beneficial effect and take the pressure off our National Health system and lift pressure off our hard pressed police forces who seem to be swamped with problems from teenage kids who seem to have nothing else in their lives but to cause trouble.

Working in this area I am horrified to see sports grounds and facilities sold off to make way for "prestigious" blocks of flats and offices which seem to stand empty for long, long spells.

Jimmy ended with: "Sorry about the length of the reply once again but I know that it is for Hudd's Town a club which gave me a chance and opportunity to fashion a career which I enjoyed so much.

All the best to you and Hudds Town FC in the future and I will be keeping a close eye on all developments at the Club!"

Many thanks to Jimmy Nicholson for taking part in Legends - a name you will agree is a legend with Huddersfield Town, a name that means so much to many Town fans, and a name that did so much for our famous club.