Nigel Sims
![]() Sims in training in 1959 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 9 August 1931 | ||
Place of birth | Coton in the Elms, Derbyshire, England | ||
Date of death | 6 January 2018 | (aged 86)||
Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
194x–1948 | Stapenhill | ||
1948–1956 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 38 | (0) |
1956–1964 | Aston Villa | 264 | (0) |
1963 | Toronto City | ||
1964–1965 | Peterborough United | 16 | (0) |
1967 | Toronto Falcons | 2 | (0) |
– | Toronto Italia | ||
Total | 320 | (0) | |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
David Nigel Sims (9 August 1931 – 6 January 2018) was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper in the Football League for Wolverhampton Wanderers, Aston Villa and Peterborough United in the 1950s and 1960s.[1]
Sims was born at Coton in the Elms, Derbyshire. He joined Wolverhampton Wanderers from Stapenhill in August 1948 as understudy to Bert Williams, and made his first-team debut on 18 April 1949 in a 1–1 draw with Sheffield United in the First Division.[2] While a National Serviceman in 1950, Sims played for the Army in a representative match against an Irish Football Association XI.[3] During his eight seasons at Wolves he only made 39 appearances[4] before transferring to Midlands rivals Aston Villa in March 1956.[5] He made his debut against Burnley that same month.
He was on the winning side in the 1957 FA Cup final, in which Villa beat Manchester United 2–1,[6] followed three years later by a Second Division winners' medal. In 1961, he helped Villa lift the inaugural League Cup.[7]
He played representative matches for the Football League,[8] and in 1958, was the first winner of Aston Villa supporters' "Terrace Trophy".[9]
In September 1964, having lost his place in the side, he transferred to Peterborough United. He appeared only sixteen times for them before trying his luck in Canada, having already spent a summer with Toronto City in the Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League.[10] He appeared twice for the Toronto Falcons in the National Professional Soccer League,[11] and also played for Toronto Italia.
In Safe Hands, a book about his footballing memories, was published in August 2012.[12]
Honours
[edit]Aston Villa
References
[edit]- ^ "Nigel Sims". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 19 December 2009.
- ^ "Team Details: 1948–1949". Wolves-Stats. Archived from the original on 27 February 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2009.
- ^ Glass, George (12 April 2009). "13 September 1950". Northern Ireland's Footballing Greats. Retrieved 19 December 2009.
- ^ "Players. A–Z". Wolves-Stats. Archived from the original on 27 February 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2009.
- ^ "Sims, Nigel David". Aston Villa Player Database. Jörn Mårtensson. Retrieved 19 December 2009.
- ^ Fort, Didier (15 February 2006). "England – FA Cup Finals 1946–2000". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 19 December 2009.
- ^ Fort, Didier (25 February 2001). "England – League Cup Finals 1961–2001". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 19 December 2009.
- ^ "Young Football League Team. Change of Policy Justified". The Times. 23 September 1957. p. 13.
- ^ "Lions Roar at Awards". Aston Villa F.C. 28 May 2009. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
- ^ Jose, Colin (2001). On-Side – 125 Years of Soccer in Ontario. Vaughan, Ontario: Ontario Soccer Association and Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum. p. 232.
- ^ "North American Soccer League Players Nigel Sims". NASL Jerseys. Dave Morrison. Retrieved 19 December 2009.
- ^ "In Safe Hands: Nigel Sims' Football Memories". Retrieved 9 September 2012.
- ^ Vernon, Leslie; Rollin, Jack (1977). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1977–78. London: Brickfield Publications Ltd. p. 490. ISBN 0354 09018 6.
External links
[edit]- NPSL stats and photo at NASL Jerseys
- Nigel Sims at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database