JIMMY NICHOLL TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE HALL OF FAME
Hamilton born Jimmy Nicholl will inducted into The Soccer Hall of Fame in Vaughan, Ontario on Saturday May 28.
Nicholl, who was born on Bay Street on February 28, 1956, grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland and joined Manchester United as an apprentice at the age of 16. He went on to make 247 appearances for the club in the Football League and appeared in two F.A. Cup finals. Following a period on loan to Sunderland, Jimmy was acquired by Toronto Blizzard in March of 1982 and played three seasons in the North American Soccer League. In two of those seasons the Blizzard reached the final. When the NASL folded, following the 1984 season, Nicholl went on to play for Glasgow Rangers, West Bromwich Albion, Dunfermline Athletic and Raith Rovers. Internationally he played 73 times for Northern Ireland over a ten year period, including in the finals of two World Cups. After that he turned to coaching and was at the helm of Raith Rovers, Millwall, and Clyde and is now in charge at Cowdenbeath.
While the family lived in Hamilton his father played in goal for the Ontario all-stars against Tottenham Hotspur in 1957, while playing his club soccer for Hamilton British Imperials.
Other players being inducted into the Soccer Hall of Fame are Canadian internationals Nick Dasovic, Lyndon Hooper and Victor Kodelja, while former Ontario Soccer Association president Bill Hoyle and Alberta coach Bert Goldberger will be inducted as Builders. Being inducted in the Pioneer category is Len Peto who was president of the old Dominion of Canada Football Association from 1935 to 1938 and was instrumental in starting the old National Soccer League.
The Vancouver Whitecaps, who won the North American Soccer League championship in 1979 will be honoured as a Team of Distinction, while Toronto Ulster United who won numerous honours from 1914 to the 1960s, will be recognized as an Organization of Distinction.
Other individuals with connections to Hamilton, in addition to Jimmy Nicholl, who have been inducted into The Soccer Hall of Fame include, Arthur "Pop" Arnold (long time president of the OSA), Whitey McDonald (Hamilton Thistles and Glasgow Rangers), Bob Bearpark (national team coach), Carrie Serwetnyk (played 19 times for the Women's national team), John McGrane (played for Canada in the 1976 Olympic Games, the World Cup and in the NASL), Colin Jose (Historian) and David Forsyth (considered to be the Father of Canadian soccer, who grew up in Lynden and attended Dundas High School).
More details on the induction dinner, which will be held at the Liberty Grand on the CNE Grounds, can be obtained by checking with the websites of the Ontario Soccer Association and The Soccer Hall of Fame.