On This Day – 26th January
Tottenham Hotspur’s most famous manager Bill Nicholson was born on this day back in 1919.
He spent over 40 years at White Hart Lane in various roles. Nicholson was a player, then a coach and finally the manager a White Hart Lane.
Nicholson made his playing debut at the age of 19, but less than a year later the Second World War started causing a postponement of the Football League.
The Football League resumed in 1946, a year after the War ended. Nicholson played for two seasons as a centre-half before moving to his preferred role as a wing-half. He played at right-half when Spurs won the 1950/51 league title.
A couple of weeks after lifting the league championship, Nicholson made his one and only appearance for England. He scored in a 5-2 victory over Portugal at Goodison Park, incredibly it was with his first touch after 19 seconds of the game.
Nicholson became Walter Winterbottom’s Assistant for England at the 1958 World Cup. Later that year he became the manager of Tottenham Hotspur.
His first game was a high-scoring affair, with Tottenham beating Everto 10-4 at White Hart Lane!
It was Bill Nicholson who led Spurs to a League and Cup Double back in 1961, becoming the first club to accomplish this in the 20th Century.
The last team to win the Double were Aston Villa in 1897 and it was a real achievement for Tottenham to win this.
They followed this up the following season with another FA Cup and reached the European Cup Semi Final.
He guided the Spurs to the history books in the 1962/63 as they beat Athletico Madrid in the European Cup Winners Cup Final.
Another FA Cup win in 1967 was added to his impressive CV and at the turn of the decade. Three more trophies would be added to the trophy cabinet at White Hart Lane in the early 70’s as Nicholson guided Spurs to the League Cup in 1970/71 and 1972/73.
Spurs also won the UEFA Cup in 1972 and reached the Final in 1974 before Nicholson decided enough was enough and retired from the game.
When asked why he left, Nicholson replied “The simple truth was that I was burned out, I had no more to offer”.
Nicholson is held in the highest regard at Tottenham Hotspur and was awarded and awarded an OBE in 1975 for his services to the game.
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