Full name James Anthony McNichol 1976–1978 Luton Town Years Team | Playing position Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland Name Jim McNichol | |
Date of birth (1958-06-09) 9 June 1958 (age 57) | ||
Jim McNichol is a Scottish former footballer who is most noted for his career at Torquay United and Exeter City.
Contents
Playing career
An apprentice at Ipswich Town McNichol joined Luton Town in July 1976. He later played for Brentford (his transfer setting a new club record incoming fee of £33000), before moving on to Exeter City. In July 1986 he joined Torquay United. On 9 May 1987 Torquay were heading out of the Football League, 2–0, down to Crewe Alexandra at half-time on the last game of the season, they needed two more goals to ensure survival—McNichol, Paul Dobson and a German shepherd called Bryn saved the day for Torquay. McNichol scored from a free-kick, then in the dying moments ran to the corner flag to whip in a cross, little realizing his run would confuse the police dog into thinking he was about to attack his handler. The dog bit McNichol on the leg and the player had to be treated, during the minutes added on due to the injury Dobson scored and Lincoln City were the ones to lose their league status on goal difference.
McNichol was appointed captain and led the club to the Football League Trophy final in 1989, before returning to Exeter in August 1989. He helped City take the Football League Fourth Division title in 1989–90, before he made the switch from Exeter to Torquay a second time in July 1991. After leaving the Gulls he later played for Torrington. Once retired he became a publican, operating The Exeter Inn in Ashburton.