{{Short description|Scottish footballer (born 1978)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}} {{Use British English|date=May 2013}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Barry Nicholson | image = Barry Nicholson.jpg | caption = Nicholson during a Dundee warmup in 2025 | fullname = Barry Nicholson<ref>{{Hugman|24736|accessdate=8 April 2017}}</ref> | height = {{height|m=1.73}} | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1978|8|24}} | birth_place = Dumfries, Scotland | position = Attacking midfielder | youthyears1 = | youthyears2 = 1992–1996 | youthclubs1 = Maxwelltown Thistle | youthclubs2 = Rangers<ref name=autogeneratedbarry>{{Cite web |url=http://qosfc.com/new_newsview.aspx?newsid=615 |title=Barry Nicholson interview on qosfc.com |access-date=2 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150629140210/http://qosfc.com/new_newsview.aspx?newsid=615 |archive-date=29 June 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | years1 = 1995–2000 | years2 = 2000–2005 | years3 = 2005–2008 | years4 = 2008–2012 | years5 = 2012–2013 | years6 = 2013–2014 | clubs1 = Rangers | clubs2 = Dunfermline Athletic | clubs3 = Aberdeen | clubs4 = Preston North End | clubs5 = Fleetwood Town | clubs6 = Kilmarnock | caps1 = 7 | goals1 = 0 | caps2 = 174 | goals2 = 21 | caps3 = 102 | goals3 = 13 | caps4 = 93 | goals4 = 9 | caps5 = 30 | goals5 = 2 | caps6 = 23 | goals6 = 2 | totalcaps = 429 | totalgoals = 47 | nationalyears1 = 2001–2004 | nationalteam1 = Scotland | nationalcaps1 = 3 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | currentclub = Dundee (assistant head coach) }} '''Barry Nicholson''' (born 24 August 1978) is a Scottish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He is currently the assistant head coach of {{Scottish football updater|Dundee}} club Dundee.
He started his professional career with Rangers and went on to play over 100 games for each of Dunfermline Athletic, Aberdeen and Preston North End. He then played for Fleetwood Town before finishing his career at Kilmarnock. Nicholson earned three full caps for Scotland, all won during his time with Dunfermline.
==Club career==
===Early years=== Born in Dumfries,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_cups/7341418.stm|title=Scottish Cup splits duo's loyalties|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=25 November 2017 | date=11 April 2008}}</ref> Nicholson watched matches of hometown club Queen of the South with his father. From playing youth football in Dumfries, he then joined Rangers.<ref name=autogeneratedbarry/><ref name=AFCinterview>{{cite web|url=https://www.afc.co.uk/2016/12/22/fps-barry-nicholson-interview/|title=Barry Nicholson interview|publisher=Aberdeen F.C.|accessdate=24 November 2017 | date=22 December 2016}}</ref> Limited appearances in Rangers' first team over several years saw him move on in 2000. Some records show that he scored once for Rangers in a UEFA Champions League qualifier against FC Haka in 1999,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-rangers-rampant-as-mols-strikes-1109393.html|title=Rangers rampant as Mols strikes|work=The Independent|date=29 July 1999 |accessdate=3 May 2012}}</ref> but Nicholson has stated that the goal should be credited to Jonatan Johansson.<ref name=AFCinterview/>
===Dunfermline Athletic=== Nicholson joined Dunfermline Athletic under the helm of Jimmy Calderwood and was a first team regular in what was the Pars' most successful period since the George Farm era. 2002–03 saw them finish 5th, and the following season they finished fourth as well as reaching the 2004 Scottish Cup Final, qualifying for a UEFA competition for the first time since 1970.
===Aberdeen=== Nicholson's performances at East End Park saw him signed by Aberdeen for a fee of £250,000 in July 2005<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/aberdeen/4593093.stm|title=Scottish Cup splits duo's loyalties|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=1 July 2008 | date=7 June 2005}}</ref> 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 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.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_prem/6621895.stm|title=Hearts 1–1 Aberdeen|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=1 July 2008 | date=6 May 2007}}</ref><ref name=AFCinterview/>
The ''Dons'' qualified from their group in the 2007–08 UEFA Cup after a 4–0 win against F.C. Copenhagen. They were twice ahead in the next round at home against Bayern Munich before drawing 2–2. The Bavarians won the return leg comfortably. In October 2007, Nicholson scored the first hat-trick of his career by scoring three goals against Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the quarterfinals of the League Cup,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_cups/7068949.stm|title=Aberdeen 4–1 Inverness CT|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=1 July 2008 | date=31 October 2007}}</ref> with two of the goals being penalties. Nicholson scored the second goal for Aberdeen against hometown club Queen of the South in the 2007–08 Scottish Cup semifinals. Queens won the 7-goal game 4–3 to make it to the final for the first time in their history.<ref name=autogeneratedqos>[http://www.qosfc.com/history "Club History" on the official Queen of the South website]</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_cups/7341879.stm | publisher=BBC News | title=Queen of the South 4–3 Aberdeen | date=12 April 2008 | access-date=26 April 2010}}</ref><ref name=AFCinterview/> He later said, "I think that they were the better team and deserved to go through."<ref name=autogeneratedbarry/>
===Preston North End=== On 30 June 2008, Nicholson signed a two-year contract with an option of a third year on a free transfer for Preston North End, subject to passing a medical.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/p/preston/7481802.stm|title=Preston clinch Nicholson signing|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=1 July 2008 | date=1 July 2008}}</ref>
Nicholson scored his first goal for Preston in a 2–0 preseason friendly away to Chorley. On 22 August 2009, he sustained a suspected broken leg in the Championship game versus Peterborough United. Nicholson returned from injury for the final game of the 2009-10 season only to limp off the field within 15 minutes suffering from an injury to the same leg. Nicholson returned to the side in January 2011 playing regularly for the remainder of the season. He was released by Preston at the end of the 2011-12 season.<ref name=prestonaxe21>{{cite news|title=Graham Westley wields the axe at Preston North End|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/18024194|access-date=11 May 2012|publisher=BBC Sport|date=10 May 2012}}</ref>
===Later career=== Nicholson signed for Fleetwood Town for the 2012–13 season.<ref>{{cite web|title=Fleetwood Town sign Preston midfielder Barry Nicholson|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/18775302|publisher=BBC Sport|date=13 July 2012|access-date=29 March 2014}}</ref> He then moved to Kilmarnock in August 2013 on a short-term contract.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kilmarnock sign Mark Stewart and Barry Nicholson|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/23740304|publisher=BBC Sport|date=17 August 2013|access-date=29 March 2014}}</ref> On 24 August 2014, he scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 defeat against Hibernian.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kilmarnock 1-2 Hibernian|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/23736980|publisher=BBC Sport|last=Barnes|first=John|date=25 August 2013|access-date=30 July 2014}}</ref> In January 2014, Nicholson's contract was extended until the end of the season.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kilmarnock extend stays for Irvine, Gardyne and Nicholson|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/25767789|publisher=BBC Sport|date=16 January 2014|access-date=29 March 2014}}</ref>
At the end of the 2013–14 season, Nicholson retired from playing and became the development manager at Fleetwood Town.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nicholson plans youth production line at Fleetwood Town|url=http://www.fleetwoodtoday.co.uk/sport/fleetwood-town/nicholson-plans-youth-production-line-at-fleetwood-town-1-6729884|publisher=Fleetwood Weekly News|last=Stocks|first=Rob|date=15 July 2014|accessdate=30 July 2014}}</ref>
==International career== Nicholson won three caps for Scotland, the first being in the friendly draw with Poland in April 2001; the last was in the friendly defeat to Sweden in November 2004.<ref name=autogeneratedbarry />
== Career statistics ==
=== Club === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+Appearances and goals by club, season and competition<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rangers Player Barry Nicholson Details |url=https://www.fitbastats.com/rangers/player.php?playerid=1288 |access-date=2023-04-15 |website=www.fitbastats.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=ParsDatabase.co.uk - Dunfermline Athletic FC Results Database |url=https://parsdatabase.co.uk/ |access-date=2023-04-15 |website=parsdatabase.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Aberdeen Football Club Heritage Trust - Player Profile |url=https://afcheritage.org/Team/CurrentSquad/player_show.cfm?player_id=770 |access-date=2023-04-15 |website=afcheritage.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Barry Nicholson {{!}} Football Stats {{!}} No Club {{!}} Season 2013/2014 {{!}} 1995-2014 {{!}} Soccer Base |url=https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=11084&season_id=143 |access-date=2023-04-15 |website=www.soccerbase.com}}</ref> ! rowspan="2" |Club ! rowspan="2" |Season ! colspan="3" |League ! colspan="2" |National Cup ! colspan="2" |League Cup ! colspan="2" |Europe ! colspan="2" |Other ! colspan="2" |Total |- !Division !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals |- | rowspan="3" |Rangers |1998–99 | rowspan="2" |SPL |5 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 | - | - |5 |0 |- |1999–00 |2 |0 |0 |0 |1 |0 |2 |1 | - | - |5 |1 |- ! colspan="2" |Total !7 !0 !0 !0 !1 !0 !2 !1 !- !- !10 !1 |- | rowspan="6" |Dunfermline Athletic |2000–01 | rowspan="5" |SPL |36 |3 |4 |1 |3 |1 |0 |0 | - | - |43 |5 |- |2001–02 |37 |7 |2 |0 |2 |1 |0 |0 | - | - |41 |8 |- |2002–03 |38 |4 |6 |1 |3 |0 |0 |0 | - | - |47 |5 |- |2003–04 |36 |5 |6 |4 |2 |0 |0 |0 | - | - |44 |9 |- |2004–05 |27 |2 |3 |0 |2 |0 |1 |0 | - | - |33 |2 |- ! colspan="2" |Total !174 !21 !21 !6 !12 !2 !1 !0 !- !- !208 !29 |- | rowspan="4" |Aberdeen |2005–06 | rowspan="3" |SPL |33 |2 |2 |1 |3 |1 |0 |0 | - | - |38 |4 |- |2006–07 |31 |6 |2 |2 |1 |0 |0 |0 | - | - |34 |8 |- |2007–08 |38 |5 |5 |1 |3 |3 |7 |0 | - | - |53 |9 |- ! colspan="2" |Total !102 !13 !9 !4 !7 !4 !7 !0 !- !- !125 !21 |- | rowspan="5" |Preston North End |2008–09 | rowspan="3" |Championship |37 |3 |1 |0 |1 |0 | - | - |2 |0 |41 |3 |- |2009–10 |4 |0 |0 |0 |1 |1 | - | - |0 |0 |5 |1 |- |2010–11 |22 |4 |1 |0 |0 |0 | - | - |0 |0 |23 |4 |- |2011–12 |League One |30 |2 |2 |0 |1 |0 | - | - |1 |0 |34 |2 |- ! colspan="2" |Total !93 !9 !4 !0 !3 !1 !- !- !3 !0 !103 !10 |- |Fleetwood Town |2012–13 |League Two |30 |2 |1 |0 |1 |0 | - | - |1 |0 |33 |2 |- |Kilmarnock |2013–14 |Scottish Premiership |23 |2 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 | - | - |23 |2 |- ! colspan="3" |Career total !429 !47 !35 !10 !24 !7 !10 !1 !4 !0 !502 !65 |}
=== International === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+Appearances and goals by national team and year<ref>{{Cite web |title=Barry Nicholson {{!}} Scotland {{!}} Scottish FA |url=https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/players/?pid=15154&lang=en |access-date=2023-04-15 |website=www.scottishfa.co.uk}}</ref> !National team !Year !Apps !Goals |- | rowspan="4" |Scotland |2001 |2 |0 |- |2002 | colspan="2" |— |- |2003 | colspan="2" |— |- |2004 |1 |0 |- ! colspan="2" |Total !3 !0 |}
==Honours== *Dunfermline Athletic – 2004 Scottish Cup Finalist
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Soccerbase}} * {{SFA profile|id=15154|name=Barry Nicholson}} * [http://www.afcheritage.org/Team/CurrentSquad/player_show.cfm?player_id=770 Profile at ''AFCheritage'']
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nicholson, Barry}} Category:1978 births Category:Living people Category:People educated at Dumfries Academy Category:Footballers from Dumfries Category:Scottish men's footballers Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Rangers F.C. players Category:Dunfermline Athletic F.C. players Category:Aberdeen F.C. players Category:Preston North End F.C. players Category:Fleetwood Town F.C. players Category:Kilmarnock F.C. players Category:Scotland men's B international footballers Category:Scotland men's international footballers Category:Scotland men's under-21 international footballers Category:Scottish Premier League players Category:English Football League players Category:Scottish Professional Football League players Category:Fleetwood Town F.C. non-playing staff Category:Dundee F.C. non-playing staff