Barry Nicholson

Football player infobox
playername = Barry Nicholson


fullname = Barry Nicholson
height = height|meters=1.73
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1978|8|24
cityofbirth = Dumfries
countryofbirth = Scotland
currentclub = Preston North End
clubnumber = 10
position = Central Midfielder, Holding Midfielder
years = 1995–2000
2000–2005
2005–2008
2008–
clubs = Rangers
Dunfermline Athletic
Aberdeen
Preston North End
caps(goals) = 008 0(0)
174 (23)
101 (13)
008 0(3)
nationalyears = 2001–2004
nationalteam = Scotland
nationalcaps(goals) = 003 0(0)
pcupdate = September 28, 2008

Barry Nicholson (born 24 August 1978 in Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway) is a Scottish professional football midfielder currently playing for Preston North End in The Championship.

Career

Domestic

Nicholson started his career at Rangers although he was a fan of home town club Queen of the South as a youngster, [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/7341418.stm|title=Nicholson completes Dons switch|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=July 1|accessyear=2008] but limited appearances in Rangers' first team saw him join Dunfermline Athletic under the helm of Jimmy Calderwood.

Nicholson's performances at East End Park saw him signed by Aberdeen for a fee of £250,000 in July 2005 [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/aberdeen/4593093.stm|title=Scottish Cup splits duo's loyalties|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=July 1|accessyear=2008] and re-joined former boss Calderwood who had since moved to Pittodrie. The move paid dividends as his strong performances towards the end of the 2006-07 season saw him score vital goals. The most notable of these goals was the last minute equaliser against Hearts, which all but clinched third place for Aberdeen, with only two matches of the season left at that stage. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/6621895.stm|title=Hearts 1-1 Aberdeen|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=July 1|accessyear=2008]

In October 2007, Nicholson scored the first hat-trick of his career, by scoring three goals against Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the quarter finals of the CIS Cup [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/7068949.stm|title=Aberdeen 4-1 Inverness CT|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=July 1|accessyear=2008] , with two of these goals being penalties.

Nicholson scored the 2nd goal for Aberdeen against Queen of the South in the 2007/08 Scottish Cup semi finals. Queens won the 7 goal thriller 4–3 to make it to the final for the first in their history. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/7341879.stm]

In April 2008, it was announced that Nicholson had turned down Aberdeen's final offer to stay at the club and would be leaving in the summer. He had been linked with German Bundesliga side VfL Bochum as well as Swedish Allsvenskan team IFK Göteborg, with interest from English clubs Preston North End, Plymouth Argyle, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield Wednesday and Leicester City. On June 30, 2008, Nicholson accepted a 2-year contract with an option of a 3rd year on a free transfer for Preston North End, subject to passing a medical. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/preston/7481802.stm|title=Preston clinch Nicholson signing|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=July 1|accessyear=2008] Nicholson scored his first goal for Preston in a 2-0 pre season friendly away to Chorley.

International

Nicholson has won 3 caps for Scotland, the first being in the friendly draw with Poland in April 2001 while the last one was in the friendly defeat to Sweden in November 2004.

References

External links

*soccerbase|id=11084|name=Barry Nicholson