Mitch Nichols

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Mitch Nichols

| image = Mitchell Nichols.jpg

| image_size = 150

| caption = Nichols playing for the Australian Under 23 team

| fullname = Mitchell Ian Nichols{{cite web |title=FIFA U-20 World Cup Egypt 2009™: List of Players: Australia |url=http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/01/10/28/62/fwyc_2009_squadlists.pdf |publisher=FIFA |page=1 |date=6 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091013164551/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/01/10/28/62/fwyc_2009_squadlists.pdf |archive-date=13 October 2009 }}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|5|1|df=y}}

| birth_place = Southport, Queensland, Australia

| height = {{height|m=1.81}}{{cite web|title=Mitch Nichols|url=http://www.wswanderersfc.com.au/player/mitch-nichols/1jqazx2hcgqsc13swoxnt3u5o3|website=wswanderersfc.com.au|publisher=Western Sydney Wanderers|access-date=16 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317103447/http://www.wswanderersfc.com.au/player/mitch-nichols/1jqazx2hcgqsc13swoxnt3u5o3|archive-date=17 March 2016|url-status=dead}}

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub = Gold Coast United FC

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 1994–2006

| youthclubs1 = Palm Beach

| years1 = 2007

| clubs1 = Palm Beach

| caps1 = 8

| goals1 = 9

| years2 = 2007–2013

| clubs2 = Brisbane Roar

| caps2 = 125

| goals2 = 24

| years3 = 2013–2014

| clubs3 = Melbourne Victory

| caps3 = 14

| goals3 = 3

| years4 = 2014–2015

| clubs4 = Cerezo Osaka

| caps4 = 6

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2014–2015

| clubs5 = → Perth Glory (loan)

| caps5 = 14

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2015–2017

| clubs6 = Western Sydney Wanderers

| caps6 = 53

| goals6 = 11

| years7 = 2017–2018

| clubs7 = Perth Glory

| caps7 = 13

| goals7 = 1

| years8 = 2018–2019

| clubs8 = Wellington Phoenix

| caps8 = 7

| goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2019–2022

| clubs9 = Gold Coast Knights

| caps9 = 77

| goals9 = 18

| years10 = 2022–2023

| clubs10 = Olympic FC

| caps10 = 8

| goals10 = 3

| manageryears1 = 2023–

| managerclubs1 = Brisbane Roar Academy (Assistant coach)

| nationalyears1 = 2007–2009

| nationalteam1 = Australia U-20

| nationalcaps1 = 22

| nationalgoals1 = 11

| nationalyears2 = 2010–2012

| nationalteam2 = Australia U-23

| nationalcaps2 = 5

| nationalgoals2 = 2

| nationalyears3 = 2009–2014

| nationalteam3 = Australia

| nationalcaps3 = 5

| nationalgoals3 = 0

| club-update = 21 September 2022

| nationalteam-update = 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.{{cite web |last1=Roar |first1=Brisbane |title=Roar lock in Academy staff |url=https://brisbaneroar.com.au/news/roar-lock-in-academy-staff |website=Brisbane Roar Official Website |publisher=Brisbane Roar}}

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.{{cite web|title=Mitch Nichols headed for Victory|url=http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/melbournevictory/news-display/Mitch-Nichols-headed-for-Victory/67157|publisher=footballaustralia.com.au/|access-date=13 May 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926002218/http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/melbournevictory/news-display/Mitch-Nichols-headed-for-Victory/67157|archive-date=26 September 2013}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league/melbourne-victory-receive-bid-from-jleague-club-for-midfielder-mitch-nichols/story-e6frf4gl-1226789160439|title=Melbourne Victory receive bid from J-League club for midfielder Mitch Nichols|first=Daniel|last=Garb|work=Fox Sports|date=23 December 2013}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jan/06/mitch-nichols-cerezo-osaka-j-league|title=Mitch Nichols subject of fresh bid from J-League's Cerezo Osaka|newspaper=The Guardian|date=6 January 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/cerezo-osaka-bid-again-for-victorys-mitch-nichols-20140106-30da6.html|title=Cerezo Osaka bid again for Victory's Mitch Nichols|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=6 January 2014}}

In the end following Nichols' interest in moving and Tom Rogic joining Melbourne Victory, Nichols joined Cerezo Osaka.{{cite web|url=http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news-display/Mitch-Nichols-headed-for-Japan/83697 |title=Mitch Nichols headed for Japan |date=20 January 2014 |publisher=Football Federation Australia |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140204032537/http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news-display/Mitch-Nichols-headed-for-Japan/83697 |archive-date=4 February 2014 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.sbnation.com/2014/1/20/5315412/mitch-nichols-melbourne-victory-cerezo-osaka|title=Mitch Nichols leaves Melbourne Victory for Cerezo Osaka|first=Michael|last=Orr|publisher=SB Nation|date=20 January 2014}} 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.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jun/23/perth-glory-sign-mitch-nichols-on-one-year-loan-from-cerezo-osaka|title=Perth Glory sign Mitch Nichols on one-year loan from Cerezo Osaka|newspaper=The Guardian|date=23 June 2014}}

=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.{{cite web|url=https://www.a-league.com.au/match/western-sydney-wanderers-fc-v-brisbane-roar-fc-a-league-08-10-2015/811609|title=Western Sydney Wanderers FC vs Brisbane Roar FC, Hyundai A-League, Round 1, 8th Oct 2015|website=Hyundai A-League}} On 11 May 2017, it was announced that Wanderers would not be renewing Nichols' contract.{{cite web|url=http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2017/05/11/wanderers-axe-dimas-nichols-annual-purge |title=Wanderers axe Dimas, Nichols in annual purge | The World Game |publisher=Theworldgame.sbs.com.au |access-date=2019-09-02}}

Despite Nichols admitting to drug possession, on 13 June 2017, Perth Glory signed him on a two-year deal.{{cite web|url=http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2017/06/23/nichols-gets-league-lifeline-perth|title=Nichols gets A-League lifeline from Perth|publisher=SBS|work=The World Game|date=23 June 2017}} On 20 February 2018, Nichols and Perth Glory mutually terminated his contract due to family reasons.{{cite news|url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com.au/news/duo-exit-perth-glory-485547|title=Duo exit Perth Glory|newspaper=FourFourTwo|date=20 February 2018}}

=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.{{cite news|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/105397755/wellington-phoenix-double-down-on-experienced-aleague-campaigners|title=Wellington Phoenix double down on experienced A-League campaigners|newspaper=Stuff.co.nz|date=23 July 2018}}

On 15 January 2019, it was announced that Nichols and the Phoenix had parted ways.{{cite news |title=Wellington Phoenix release Mitch Nichols and Reuben Way |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/109941402/wellington-phoenix-release-mitch-nichols-and-reuben-way |publisher=Stuff.co.nz |date=15 January 2019}}

=Gold Coast Knights=

On 15 March 2019, Nichols signed for National Premier Leagues Queensland side Gold Coast Knights.{{cite web|url=https://www.goal.com/en-au/news/nichols-signs-for-gold-coast-knights/1d453iylgsaux16qwai77s6ard|title=A-League news: Mitch Nichols signs for Gold Coast Knights {{!}} Goal.com|website=goal.com|access-date=2019-03-15}}

=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.{{Cite web |date=2023-01-09 |title=Mitch Nichols has signed for Gold Coast United |url=https://www.facebook.com/gcunitedfc/posts/pfbid0U8UFz16d2U4DLviznyYHzfQk9vkFXghsCaM2pjw4oa8mRTiJfnxH9NbkifKoiDMsl |access-date=2023-01-09 |website=Facebook {{!}} Gold Coast United FC}}

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

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !rowspan="2"\|Division !colspan="2"\|League¹ !colspan="2"\|Cup !colspan="2"\|Asia² !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals
Palm Beach	2007	Queensland Premier League \|8	9	0	0	0	0	8	9
rowspan="7"\|Brisbane Roar \|2007–08 \|rowspan=6\|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
colspan="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 \|rowspan=3\|A-League \|14	0	3	0	0	0	17	0
rowspan=3\|Western Sydney Wanderers \|2015–16 \|29	10	3	0	0	0	32	10
2016–17 \|24	1	3	1	4	1	31	3
colspan=2\|Total	53	11	6	1	4	1	63	13
Perth Glory \|2017–18 \|rowspan=2\|A-League \|13	1	0	0	0	0	13	1
Wellington Phoenix \|2018–19 \|7	0	1	0	0	0	8	0
colspan="3"\|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.)