Chris Nicholl can quite rightly be called a Southampton FC legend, having spent around 12 years at the Dell, half as a player and then another half as manager. Find out more about the work being done by both Saints & Walsall to pay for his care home costs in his ongoing battle with Dementia.
Chris Nicholl arrived at the Dell in the summer of 1977 and quickly became a key player for Lawrie McMenemy, helping the club to promotion back to the top flight in his first season and then being the rock in a side that included Kevin Keegan as Saints not only cemented their return to the then First Division, but became a fixture in the top 10.
He played 268 games for the club in 6 seasons for the club, before becoming player manager at Grimsby where he spent 2 years before rejoining Saints in the summer of 1985 as the replacement for the man who signed him, Lawrie McMenemy.
He spent another 6 seasons at the club as manager and in that time he oversaw an exciting time at the club, leading it to both an FA Cup & League Cup semi final, losing both to the then all conquering Liverpool.
He also introduced a raft of youngster to the club, the likes of Matthew Le Tissier, Alan Shearer & Rod Wallace all getting their debut whilst he was manager as well as signing the likes of Glenn Cockerill who became a Saints legend in his own right.
He was sacked in the summer of 1991 and subsequently spent some time out of full time work in football, but in 1994 he became manager of Walsall, a club that would become close to his heart and he managed and coached their on three separate occasions.
More information about Chris & his career at Saints can be found at Duncan Holley's excellent Saintsplayers archive using the link below.
https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/
Sadly Chris started to develop Dementia and living in the Walsall area and being something of a legend to Walsall fans they took up the cause to raise money to pay for his care. Chris is now living back in Southampton to be near his family, but the cost of his care has now seen the his savings gone and his family needing to meet the costs of his care.
Therefore a Saints Legends side will take on a Walsall Legends team at AFC Totton's ground on Friday 13th May with a 7.30pm kick off.
This is the return leg to the first Chris Nicholl Trophy of 2021 when Walsall fans decided to hold a trophy game to raise funds for not only Chris, but other worthy causes It was a brilliant success with over 1000 fans attending with Walsall Legends turning out 3-1 winners.
Now comes the return and it is at AFC Totton's Snows Stadium and gives the Saints legends with home fans behind them the chance for revenge and to win the trophy back.
There are some great stars of yesterday playing for the Saints with Le God Matthew Tissier, Glenn Cockerill, Wayne Bridge, James Beattie and David Peach to name a few. For Walsall some local known players in Fitzroy Simpson and Jeff Peron who both played for Pompey, Ex West Ham keeper Jimmy Walker and Birmingham Captain Martin O Conner and ex Ireland, Newcastle and Leicester Striker David Kelly.
The important part of this game is supporting directly the Nicholl family and the on going costs of Chris’s dementia care, 50% of all game profits go directly to the Nicholl family so we urge all fans to come and support this great event.
It will be an evening not to be missed!!
More information can be found , including being able to buy an advance ticket can be found by using the link below.
https://www.jumblebee.co.uk/chrisnicholltrophysaintslegendsvswalsalllegends
Doors open at 5pm, kick off 7:30pm!!
See you all there.