Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | James Anthony McNichol [1] | ||
Date of birth | 9 June 1958 | ||
Place of birth | Glasgow, Scotland | ||
Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) [2] | ||
Position(s) | Central defender | ||
Youth career | |||
–1976 | Ipswich Town | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | ( Gls) |
1976–1978 | Luton Town | 15 | (0) |
1978–1984 | Brentford | 155 | (22) |
1984–1986 | Exeter City | 87 | (10) |
1986–1989 | Torquay United | 124 | (13) |
1989–1991 | Exeter City | 42 | (8) |
1991–1992 | Torquay United | 2 | (0) |
Torrington | |||
Total | 425 | (53) | |
International career | |||
1978–1980 | Scotland U21 | 7 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
James Anthony McNichol (born 9 June 1958) is a Scottish former professional footballer who is most noted for his career at Torquay United and Exeter City. He was capped by Scotland at U21 level. [3]
An apprentice at Ipswich Town, McNichol joined Luton Town in July 1976. [1] He later played for Brentford (his transfer setting a new club record incoming fee of £33,000), [4] before moving on to Exeter City. [1] In July 1986 he joined Torquay United. [1] On 9 May 1987 Torquay were heading out of the Football League, 2–0, down to Crewe Alexandra at half-time in the last game of the season, they needed two more goals to ensure survival—McNichol, Paul Dobson and a German shepherd called Bryn saved the day for Torquay. [5] McNichol scored from a free-kick, then in the dying moments ran to the corner flag to whip in a cross, little realizing his run would confuse the police dog into thinking he was about to attack his handler. [5] The dog bit McNichol on the leg and the player had to be treated; during the minutes added on due to the injury, Dobson scored and Lincoln City were the ones to lose their league status on goal difference. [5] The story of McNichol's injury was featured in the Netflix documentary series Losers. [6]
McNichol was appointed captain and led the club to the Football League Trophy final in 1989, before returning to Exeter in August 1989. [1] He helped City take the Football League Fourth Division title in 1989–90, before he made the switch from Exeter to Torquay a second time in July 1991. [1] After leaving the Gulls he later played for Torrington. An ankle ligament injury ended his career. [7]
After his retirement from football, McNichol settled in Exeter and became a publican, operating The Exeter Inn in Ashburton. [8] He sold the pub just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, after 33 years running in. [9]
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | James Anthony McNichol [1] | ||
Date of birth | 9 June 1958 | ||
Place of birth | Glasgow, Scotland | ||
Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) [2] | ||
Position(s) | Central defender | ||
Youth career | |||
–1976 | Ipswich Town | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | ( Gls) |
1976–1978 | Luton Town | 15 | (0) |
1978–1984 | Brentford | 155 | (22) |
1984–1986 | Exeter City | 87 | (10) |
1986–1989 | Torquay United | 124 | (13) |
1989–1991 | Exeter City | 42 | (8) |
1991–1992 | Torquay United | 2 | (0) |
Torrington | |||
Total | 425 | (53) | |
International career | |||
1978–1980 | Scotland U21 | 7 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
James Anthony McNichol (born 9 June 1958) is a Scottish former professional footballer who is most noted for his career at Torquay United and Exeter City. He was capped by Scotland at U21 level. [3]
An apprentice at Ipswich Town, McNichol joined Luton Town in July 1976. [1] He later played for Brentford (his transfer setting a new club record incoming fee of £33,000), [4] before moving on to Exeter City. [1] In July 1986 he joined Torquay United. [1] On 9 May 1987 Torquay were heading out of the Football League, 2–0, down to Crewe Alexandra at half-time in the last game of the season, they needed two more goals to ensure survival—McNichol, Paul Dobson and a German shepherd called Bryn saved the day for Torquay. [5] McNichol scored from a free-kick, then in the dying moments ran to the corner flag to whip in a cross, little realizing his run would confuse the police dog into thinking he was about to attack his handler. [5] The dog bit McNichol on the leg and the player had to be treated; during the minutes added on due to the injury, Dobson scored and Lincoln City were the ones to lose their league status on goal difference. [5] The story of McNichol's injury was featured in the Netflix documentary series Losers. [6]
McNichol was appointed captain and led the club to the Football League Trophy final in 1989, before returning to Exeter in August 1989. [1] He helped City take the Football League Fourth Division title in 1989–90, before he made the switch from Exeter to Torquay a second time in July 1991. [1] After leaving the Gulls he later played for Torrington. An ankle ligament injury ended his career. [7]
After his retirement from football, McNichol settled in Exeter and became a publican, operating The Exeter Inn in Ashburton. [8] He sold the pub just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, after 33 years running in. [9]