Dai Nicholas

For other people called David Nicholas, see David Nicholas.

David Sidney "Dai" Nicholas (12 August 1897 – 7 April 1982) was a Welsh footballer who played in the English Football League for Merthyr Town, Swansea Town and Stoke.^[1]

Dai Nicholas

Personal information
Full name	David Sidney Nicholas[1]
Date of birth	(1897-08-12)12 August 1897
Place of birth	Aberdare, Glamorgan, Wales[1]
Date of death	7 April 1982(1982-04-07) (aged 84)[1]
Place of death	Aberdare, Glamorgan, Wales[1]
Position(s)	Winger
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1919	Merthyr Town
1919–1920	Swansea Town
1920–1921	Merthyr Town	46	(2)
1921–1924	Stoke	54	(3)
1924	Aberavon Athletic
1924–1929	Swansea Town	151	(14)
Total		251	(19)
International career
1921–1927	Wales	3	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Nicholas was capped by Wales at schoolboy level in 1912 and he was given trials by Merthyr Town but due to World War I he was recruited by the Royal Navy.^[1] Towards the end of the war he played several games as an amateur for Swansea before turning professional with Merthyr, only to enter the Carmarthen Training college to begin training as a teacher.^[1] In 1921 he joined Stoke and was a 'speedy winger' who performed well on the wing for Stoke before becoming homesick in 1924.^[1] He moved back to Swansea Town and also became a teacher in his native Aberdare.^[1]

Career statistics

Club

Source:^[2]

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Merthyr Town	1920–21	Third Division South	17	1	3	0	20	1
	1921–22	Third Division South	29	1	3	0	32	1
	Total		46	2	6	0	52	2
Stoke	1921–22	Second Division	6	0	0	0	6	0
	1922–23	First Division	32	3	2	1	34	4
	1923–24	Second Division	9	0	1	0	10	0
	1924–25	Second Division	7	0	0	0	7	0
	Total		54	3	3	1	57	4
Swansea Town	1924–25	Third Division South	19	2	0	0	19	2
	1925–26	Second Division	25	4	7	2	32	6
	1926–27	Second Division	34	2	5	0	39	2
	1927–28	Second Division	37	2	1	0	38	2
	1928–29	Second Division	31	2	2	0	33	2
	1929–30	Second Division	5	2	0	0	5	2
	Total		151	14	15	2	166	16
Career Total			251	19	24	3	275	22

International

Source:^[3]

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Wales	1923	1	0
	1927	2	0
Total		3	0

References

1. Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
2. Dai Nicholas at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
3. Nicholas, Dai at National-Football-Teams.com