Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

Mitch Nichols

Mitch Nichols
Nichols playing for the Australian Under 23 team
Personal information
Full name Mitchell Ian Nichols[1]
Date of birth (1989-05-01) 1 May 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth Southport, Queensland, Australia
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11+12 in)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Gold Coast United FC
Youth career
1994–2006 Palm Beach
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007 Palm Beach 8 (9)
2007–2013 Brisbane Roar 125 (24)
2013–2014 Melbourne Victory 14 (3)
2014–2015 Cerezo Osaka 6 (0)
2014–2015Perth Glory (loan) 14 (0)
2015–2017 Western Sydney Wanderers 53 (11)
2017–2018 Perth Glory 13 (1)
2018–2019 Wellington Phoenix 7 (0)
2019–2022 Gold Coast Knights 77 (18)
2022–2023 Olympic FC 8 (3)
International career
2007–2009 Australia U-20 22 (11)
2010–2012 Australia U-23 5 (2)
2009–2014 Australia 5 (0)
Managerial career
2023– Brisbane Roar Academy (Assistant coach)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 September 2022
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 2 December 2020

Mitchell Ian Nichols (born 1 May 1989) is an Australian professional footballer who last played as a midfielder for Olympic FC in the National Premier Leagues Queensland. He is currently the Assistant coach of the Brisbane Roar Academy in the NPL Queensland.[3]

Club career

Brisbane Roar

He signed a two-year deal on 11 May 2007 with the Roar after impressing in the opening rounds of the Gold Coast Premier League with Palm Beach Sharks, leading the goal scoring charts from midfield after 7 matches. Roar manager Frank Farina stated that Nichols was "one for the future" the official press conference following his signing.

Nichols made a solid start to his career in the A-League with a number of substitute appearances. He also received his first call-up to the Australian Under 20 squad for a training camp on 7 October 2007. He scored his first goal for the Roar in his side's 4–1 victory over Perth Glory midway through the 2008–09 season. In the 2011–12 season, the midfielder exceeded expectations pre-season, scoring 10 goals, mostly from long range. He also made the A-league Team of the Season, alongside teammates Thomas Broich and Besart Berisha.

Melbourne Victory

Before he joined Melbourne Victory he went on trial at Danish club Randers. On 13 May 2013, it was announced by Melbourne Victory that Nichols had signed a two-year deal with the club, reuniting him with his former Roar manager Ange Postecoglou.[4] He became Postecoglou's first new signing ahead of the 2013/14 Hyundai A-League season.

Cerezo Osaka

Japanese J1 League Club Cerezo Osaka made multiple bids for Nichols during the January 2014 transfer window, the highest of which reaching $400,000. Melbourne Victory stood firm despite Nichols' interest in the offer, however look set to complete the deal in the hope of acquiring young Australian midfielder, Tom Rogic.[5][6][7]

In the end following Nichols' interest in moving and Tom Rogic joining Melbourne Victory, Nichols joined Cerezo Osaka.[8][9] Nichols made his debut for Cerezo on 11 March 2014, coming off the bench in an AFC Champions League match against Shandong Luneng Taishan, which Cerezo lost 1–3.

Loan to Perth Glory

On 23 June 2014, Nichols joined Perth Glory on a one-year loan.[10]

Western Sydney Wanderers

On 3 July 2015, Nichols signed a two-year deal with A-League side Western Sydney Wanderers. Nichols made his Wanderers debut against Brisbane Roar on 8 October 2015, scoring his debut goal for the club in the 13th minute of Wanderers' 3–1 defeat.[11] On 11 May 2017, it was announced that Wanderers would not be renewing Nichols' contract.[12]

Despite Nichols admitting to drug possession, on 13 June 2017, Perth Glory signed him on a two-year deal.[13] On 20 February 2018, Nichols and Perth Glory mutually terminated his contract due to family reasons.[14]

Wellington Phoenix

On 23 July 2018, it was announced that Nichols had signed a two-year deal with Wellington Phoenix to stay in the A-league.[15]

On 15 January 2019, it was announced that Nichols and the Phoenix had parted ways.[16]

Gold Coast Knights

On 15 March 2019, Nichols signed for National Premier Leagues Queensland side Gold Coast Knights.[17]

Olympic FC

On 23 June 2022, Nichols signed for National Premier Leagues Queensland side Olympic FC.

Gold Coast United FC

On 9 January 2023, it was announced that Nichols signed for National Premier Leagues Queensland side Gold Coast United FC.[18]

International career

Nichols represented the Australia U-20 team during the AFC U-19 Championship in Saudi Arabia. He scored two goals in the Quarter Final match against North Korea including a spectacular overhead kick in extra time. Nichols represented the Australia U-23 team receiving his first cap in 2010. Nichols made his first senior international debut for the Socceroos on 4 March 2009 in an AFC Asian Cup qualifying match versus Kuwait.

Club statistics

As of 15 January 2019
Club Season Division League1 Cup Asia2 Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Palm Beach 2007 Queensland Premier League 8 9 0 0 0 0 8 9
Brisbane Roar 2007–08 A-League 10 0 5 0 0 0 12 0
2008–09 13 5 2 0 0 0 17 6
2009–10 20 1 0 0 0 0 20 1
2010–11 32 6 0 0 0 0 32 6
2011–12 24 10 0 0 5 1 29 11
2012–13 26 2 0 0 1 0 27 2
Total 125 24 7 0 6 1 138 25
Melbourne Victory 2013–14 A-League 14 3 0 0 0 0 14 3
Cerezo Osaka 2014 J1 League 6 0 0 0 4 0 10 0
Perth Glory 2014–15 A-League 14 0 3 0 0 0 17 0
Western Sydney Wanderers 2015–16 29 10 3 0 0 0 32 10
2016–17 24 1 3 1 4 1 31 3
Total 53 11 6 1 4 1 63 13
Perth Glory 2017–18 A-League 13 1 0 0 0 0 13 1
Wellington Phoenix 2018–19 7 0 1 0 0 0 8 0
Career total 240 48 17 1 14 2 271 51

1 – includes A-League final series statistics
2 – includes FIFA Club World Cup statistics; AFC Champions League statistics are included in season commencing after group stages (i.e. ACL and A-League seasons etc.)

Honours

Club

Brisbane Roar:

Gold Coast Knights

Country

Australia:

Individual

References

  1. ^ "FIFA U-20 World Cup Egypt 2009™: List of Players: Australia" (PDF). FIFA. 6 October 2009. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 October 2009.
  2. ^ "Mitch Nichols". wswanderersfc.com.au. Western Sydney Wanderers. Archived from the original on 17 March 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  3. ^ Roar, Brisbane. "Roar lock in Academy staff". Brisbane Roar Official Website. Brisbane Roar.
  4. ^ "Mitch Nichols headed for Victory". footballaustralia.com.au/. Archived from the original on 26 September 2013. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  5. ^ Garb, Daniel (23 December 2013). "Melbourne Victory receive bid from J-League club for midfielder Mitch Nichols". Fox Sports.
  6. ^ "Mitch Nichols subject of fresh bid from J-League's Cerezo Osaka". The Guardian. 6 January 2014.
  7. ^ "Cerezo Osaka bid again for Victory's Mitch Nichols". The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 January 2014.
  8. ^ "Mitch Nichols headed for Japan". Football Federation Australia. 20 January 2014. Archived from the original on 4 February 2014.
  9. ^ Orr, Michael (20 January 2014). "Mitch Nichols leaves Melbourne Victory for Cerezo Osaka". SB Nation.
  10. ^ "Perth Glory sign Mitch Nichols on one-year loan from Cerezo Osaka". The Guardian. 23 June 2014.
  11. ^ "Western Sydney Wanderers FC vs Brisbane Roar FC, Hyundai A-League, Round 1, 8th Oct 2015". Hyundai A-League.
  12. ^ "Wanderers axe Dimas, Nichols in annual purge | The World Game". Theworldgame.sbs.com.au. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  13. ^ "Nichols gets A-League lifeline from Perth". The World Game. SBS. 23 June 2017.
  14. ^ "Duo exit Perth Glory". FourFourTwo. 20 February 2018.
  15. ^ "Wellington Phoenix double down on experienced A-League campaigners". Stuff.co.nz. 23 July 2018.
  16. ^ "Wellington Phoenix release Mitch Nichols and Reuben Way". Stuff.co.nz. 15 January 2019.
  17. ^ "A-League news: Mitch Nichols signs for Gold Coast Knights | Goal.com". goal.com. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  18. ^ "Mitch Nichols has signed for Gold Coast United". Facebook | Gold Coast United FC. 9 January 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.