Charlie Nicklas

Charles Nicklas (26 April 1930 – 26 July 2018) was an English footballer who played as a centre forward in the Football League for Hull City and Darlington. Before joining Hull, Nicklas played non-league football for Silksworth Colliery Welfare, and after leaving Darlington he played in the Southern League for Headington United.[1][4]

Not to be confused with Charlie Nicholas.

Charlie Nicklas
Personal information
Full name Charles Nicklas[1]
Date of birth (1930-04-26)26 April 1930[1]
Place of birth Sunderland, England
Date of death 26 July 2018(2018-07-26) (aged 88)[2]
Place of death Sunderland, England
Height 5 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1.74 m)[3]
Position(s) Centre forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1950 Silksworth Colliery Welfare
1950–1953 Hull City 6 (1)
1953–1954 Darlington 17 (6)
1954–1955 Headington United 13 (4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Life and career

Nicklas was born in 1930 in Sunderland, which was then in County Durham.[1] He played as a wing half before what the Sunderland Echo described as a promising career was interrupted by National Service in the Royal Air Force.[3] He began playing for Wearside League club Silksworth Colliery Welfare at the start of the 1950–51 season,[5] but soon went on trial with Football League Second Division club Hull City, and turned professional with that club in December 1950.[6]

He made his first-team debut a year later, on 27 October 1951, playing in the unaccustomed position of centre forward; although he had played a few reserve matches in that position, the Yorkshire Post doubted that "a home match against a team playing as strongly as Rotherham United are just now is the ideal occasion" for a youngster's debut.[7] Rotherham took a three-goal lead, but Hull came back to draw, and Nicklas scored their opener: he "had his faults, but dash, speed and courage were not among them. He harassed [the goalkeeper] into a goal offering and accepted it with glee".[8] He was known for his pace, having competed in professional sprint races.[3] Nicklas played five more matches for Hull, the last of which was on 22 March 1952.[9]

Nicklas stayed with the club until the end of the following season, when he moved on to Darlington of the Third Division North.[1] He scored six goals from seventeen league matches for Darlington,[1] and spent the 1954–55 season with Headington United in the Southern League, scoring four goals from fourteen matches in all competitions.[10]

Nicklas, a nephew of Sunderland and Fulham player Barney Travers,[3] died in his native Sunderland in 2018 at the age of 88.[2]

References
  1. Hugman, Barry J., ed. (1998). The PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946–1998. Queen Anne Press. p. 405. ISBN 978-1-85291-585-8.
  2. "Charlie Nicklas". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  3. "Trevor Ford takes over again". Sunderland Echo. 2 November 1951. p. 13.
  4. "Charlie Nicklas". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Players Database. Neil Brown. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  5. "Dawdon ring changes". Sunderland Echo. 25 August 1950. p. 12.
  6. "City's young wing-half". Daily Mail. Hull. 13 December 1950. p. 6.
  7. Ulyatt, Richard (27 October 1951). "More bold moves by team selectors". Yorkshire Post. p. 11.
  8. "Great day for the newcomers". Yorkshire Post. 29 October 1951. p. 3.
  9. "Players". TigerBase. Matt Wales. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  10. "Charlie Nicklas". Rage Online. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
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