Bill Nicholson: Football's Perfectionist

by SCOVELL BRIAN

Bill Nicholson was revered as one of the most honest football managers in the business. Between 1960 and 1964 he turned Tottenham Hotspur into the finest team in Britain. This book, the first biography of Nicholson, commemorates the 50th anniversary of Tottenham's pioneering 1961 Double, which Nicholson followed up in 1963 by becoming the first manager to win a European trophy. By moulding great players like Dave Mackay, Danny Blanchflower, John White, Cliff Jones and Jimmy Greaves into an almost perfectly balanced team, he set new standards of attacking play. Nicholson was born in Scarborough in 1919. At the age of 17 he took the night train alone to London, signed for Spurs on GBP2 a week and spent the rest of his life with the club as player, coach, manager, scout and President. He never had a contract, spurned bonuses and lived ten minutes' walk from the ground with his remarkable wife, who was known as Darkie, until his death in 2004. He is still revered by Tottenham fans as one of the most important figures in the club's history. This well-researched book offers a new, kinder impression of this much-loved man.

305 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2010

Reviews

[Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well written but frustratingly goes off on pointless tangents throughout. Half the book is about Nicholson, half the book is about anything but.

Also, the constant criticism of modern players, managers and football in general becomes boring after the 20th occasion even if you agree with the sentiments.

A wasted opportunity.

[Kevin Coaker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrendous, self-published amateurism. Frustratingly, goes off on pointless tangents throughout literally every paragraph. I will wipe myself down and read the Steve Perryman co-authored "Sir Bill" later in the summer.

[Steve Parcell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a little disappointed to be honest. I felt it was more about the results that were achieved and less about the great man and what made him tick. There was not enough emphasis on how he transformed the club and the respect his players had for him. A good book but could have been great with the subject matter.