Leigh Nicol
{{short description|Scottish footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Leigh Nicol
| image = Millwall Lionesses Vs London Bees (17879579064) (cropped).jpg
| caption=Nicol with London Bees, 2015
| fullname = Leigh Caitlyn Nicol{{cite web|title=List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/03/2015 and 31/03/2015|url=http://www.thefa.com/~/media/files/thefaportal/governance-docs/registrations/march-2015.ashx|publisher=The Football Association|accessdate=30 January 2016|page=3|format=PDF}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1995|09|26}}{{cite web|url=http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/football_player_profile.cfm?page=2492&playerID=77773&squadID=20|title=Leigh Nicol|website=Scottish FA.co.uk}}
| birth_place = Bellshill, Scotland
| position = Midfielder
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Motherwell
| youthyears2 = 2009–2012
| youthclubs2 = Celtic
| youthyears3 = 2013
| youthclubs3 = Arsenal
| years1 = 2014
| clubs1 = Reading Women
| caps1 = 4
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2015
| clubs2 = London Bees{{cite web|url=http://www.londonbeeswsl.com/news/nicol_and_williams_sign_from_reading.html#UZIYTjwvSrMLSbwJ.97|title=Nicol and Williams sign from Reading|website=London Bees WSL.com|access-date=15 September 2016|archive-date=22 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222050855/http://www.londonbeeswsl.com/news/nicol_and_williams_sign_from_reading.html#UZIYTjwvSrMLSbwJ.97|url-status=dead}}
| caps2 = 9
| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 2016–2018
| clubs3 = Millwall Lionesses{{cite web|url=http://millwall.fawsl.com/playerProfile/leigh_nicol.html#QpGEcTR70PWwK0AJ.97|title=Leigh Nicol (Millwall)|website=FAWSL.com|access-date=15 September 2016|archive-date=24 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924092516/http://millwall.fawsl.com/playerProfile/leigh_nicol.html#QpGEcTR70PWwK0AJ.97|url-status=dead}}
| caps3 = 28
| goals3 = 1
| years4 = 2018–2020
| clubs4 = Charlton Athletic
| caps4 = 7
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2020–2023
| clubs5 = Crystal Palace
| caps5 = 14
| goals5 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2009
| nationalteam1 = Scotland U16
| nationalcaps1 = 1
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2010–2012
| nationalteam2 = Scotland U17
| nationalcaps2 = 6
| nationalgoals2 = 1
| nationalyears3 = 2012–2014
| nationalteam3 = Scotland U19
| nationalcaps3 = 4
| nationalgoals3 = 0
}}
Leigh Caitlyn Nicol (born 26 September 1995) is a Scottish retired footballer who last played for Crystal Palace in the English FA Women's Championship.
Club career
Raised in Newarthill, Nicol started her footballing career at Motherwell Girls where she was captain of her age group from 2006 to 2008. She then moved onto Celtic's Academy where she captained the club's under-15, under-17 and reserve sides. With Celtic Nicol also won the SWF Scottish U17 Cup title in 2011.{{cite web|url=http://reading.fawsl.com/playerProfile/leigh_nicol.html|title=Leigh Nicol- Reading WFC|website=FAWSL.com|access-date=15 September 2016|archive-date=9 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141009165924/http://reading.fawsl.com/playerProfile/leigh_nicol.html|url-status=dead}}
She then moved to London in 2012 to secure a place at Arsenal's prestigious academy where she could continue her education whilst training and playing for the club's reserve side.{{cite web|title=Scotland starlet on the verge of dream Arsenal move|url=http://www.youthfootballscotland.co.uk/news-a-media/featured-news/5489-scottish-starlet-on-verge-of-dream-arsenal-move|website=Youth Football Scotland.co.uk|access-date=15 September 2016|archive-date=17 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181217014841/http://www.youthfootballscotland.co.uk/news-a-media/featured-news/5489-scottish-starlet-on-verge-of-dream-arsenal-move|url-status=dead}}
An opportunity to play first team football opened up when former Arsenal Ladies player Jayne Ludlow became manager of FA WSL 2 club Reading Women. This move led to Nicol and a number of other Arsenal reserve players joining Reading in 2014.{{cite web|url=https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2013/november/women-add-to-squad/|title=Women add to squad|website=Reading FC.co.uk}} Nicol had some success playing first team football for Reading but after one season she left at the beginning of 2015 to join London Bees to get more first team opportunities.
In February 2016 Nicol announced that she had signed for Millwall Lionesses.{{cite web|url=https://www.millwallfc.co.uk/news/2016/february/millwall-lionesses-add-three-signings-to-their-squad/|title=Millwall Lionesses add three signings to their squad|website=Millwall.co.uk}} She went on to win the club's Player of the Year award in 2017.
Nicol announced her retirement from professional football in August 2023.
International career
Nicol represented Scotland at under-16 level in a Challenge Match against Wales in November 2009. She also went on to play seven times for the under-17s and got on the scoresheet in a 5–0 win over Wales in April 2012. Her international career continued and she also went on to make a number of appearances at under-19 level; notable matches she was involved in at this level were a 7–3 win over Italy and a 14–1 victory against Georgia.
Personal life
Her grandfather Jimmy Welsh was a footballer who played for Airdrieonians in the 1950s.{{cite web|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/budding-scotland-star-leigh-nicols-2549035.amp|title=Budding Scotland star Leigh Nicol's dream move to Arsenal Ladies|website=Daily Record.co.uk|date=29 August 2012}}
In 2021, Nicol spoke of her struggle to maintain her mental health following an incident of phone hacking two years earlier in which personal videos were circulated online.[https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12205266/leigh-nicol-exclusive-interview-how-phone-hack-traumatised-crystal-palace-player-and-her-inspiring-recovery Leigh Nicol exclusive interview: How phone hack traumatised Crystal Palace player and her inspiring recovery], Adam Bate, Sky Sports, 4 February 2021[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55923936 Leigh Nicol: Crystal Palace midfielder hopes to raise awareness by speaking about hack ordeal], BBC Sport, 4 February 2021
Honours
Celtic
Individual
- Celtic Reserves Players Player of The Year: 2012
- Millwall Player of the Year: 2017{{cite web|url=http://millwall.fawsl.com/news/player_of_the_year_awards.html|title=Player of the Year Awards|website=FAWSL.com|access-date=16 December 2017|archive-date=21 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171221223640/http://millwall.fawsl.com/news/player_of_the_year_awards.html|url-status=dead}}
References
External links
- {{SFA player|77773}}
- [http://reading.fawsl.com/playerProfile/leigh_nicol.html Reading player profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141009165924/http://reading.fawsl.com/playerProfile/leigh_nicol.html |date=9 October 2014 }}
- {{Twitter|LeighNicol}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nicol, Leigh}}
Category:Scottish women's footballers
Category:Celtic F.C. Women players
Category:FA Women's National League players
Category:Arsenal W.F.C. players
Category:Millwall Lionesses L.F.C. players
Category:Women's association football midfielders
Category:Charlton Athletic W.F.C. players
Category:Reading F.C. Women players
Category:Footballers from North Lanarkshire
Category:People from Newarthill
Category:Crystal Palace F.C. (Women) players