Former Northern Ireland and Southampton star Chris Nicholl has died at the age of 77.
His daughter Kathy confirmed his death in an emotional post on social media. “It is with heavy hearts that we write this. Chris Nichol (our father) sadly passed away peacefully in hospital on Saturday night,” she wrote.
“He fought a very long battle with CTE due to his dedication to football. Words cannot express how much we will miss him. Funeral arrangements have not yet been made. completed the transfer.”
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The Football Association of Ireland expressed their condolences, saying, “We are saddened to learn of the passing of Chris Nicholl.” “He played 51 games for us, including the 1982 World Cup in Spain. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.”
We also received kind words from Aston Villa. “Aston Villa are deeply saddened to learn of the death of former player Chris Nicholl, who has passed away at the age of 77. The thoughts of everyone at the club are with Chris’ family and friends at this difficult time.” .
Nicol started his career at Burnley and went on to represent Halifax Town and Luton. He then moved to Aston Villa in 1972, making over 200 appearances for the team. He won the League Cup twice as a Villain and also reached the final with his next employer, Southampton.
The former defender spent six years with Saints until 1983, finishing his career with Grimsby Town. Nicol represented Northern Ireland 51 times and also played for Northern Ireland at the 1982 World Cup.
After retiring, Nicol will return to Southampton as manager. He was enthusiastically praised for bringing players such as Matt Le Tissier, Alan Shearer and Tim Flowers into the team.
Following his time at Southampton, he also had a stint at Walsall before a spell as Northern Ireland assistant manager under Rory McMenemy. Nicol’s family believes his time as a soccer player contributed to his death.
In a 2017 BBC documentary, he revealed to Shearer: “My memory is a problem. We all forget everyday things like where our keys are. But when you forget where you live, it’s a different story. “Over the years, it’s definitely gotten worse. That’s what bothers me.”
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