Sam Nicholson

Sam Nicholson

Nicholson playing for Minnesota United in 2017
Personal information
Full name	Sam Alastair Nicholson [1]
Date of birth	(1995-01-20) 20 January 1995 (age 30)
Place of birth	Edinburgh, Scotland
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) [2]
Position(s)	Winger
Team information
Current team	Motherwell
Number	19
Youth career
2007–2013	Heart of Midlothian
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2013–2017	Heart of Midlothian	109	(13)
2017–2018	Minnesota United	20	(2)
2018–2020	Colorado Rapids	48	(4)
2020–2022	Bristol Rovers	64	(11)
2022–2024	Colorado Rapids	37	(2)
2023	Colorado Rapids 2	1	(0)
2024	→ Motherwell (loan)	16	(2)
2024–	Motherwell	0	(0)
International career
2013	Scotland U18	1	(0)
2013–2014	Scotland U19	6	(0)
2015–2016	Scotland U21	8	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10:07, 31 May 2024 (UTC)

Sam Alastair Nicholson (born 20 January 1995) ^[3] is a Scottish footballer who plays as a left winger or left midfielder for Scottish Premiership club Motherwell.

Career

Heart of Midlothian

Nicholson attended Penicuik High School in Midlothian and grew up supporting Heart of Midlothian. ^[4] He joined Hearts aged 12, progressing through their youth teams until on 31 August 2013, he made his senior debut for the club, coming on as a 74th-minute substitute in a Scottish Premiership match against Inverness Caledonian Thistle, replacing Jamie Walker in a 2–0 defeat. ^[5] His first senior goal for the side came on 18 January 2014, helping Hearts come from 3–1 down at McDiarmid Park scoring in the 89th minute to help Hearts earn a point in a 3–3 draw against St Johnstone. ^[6]

On 16 June 2014, Nicholson signed a new three-year contract extending his stay until the summer of 2017, following the club's relegation to the Scottish Championship. ^[7]

Nicholson began the 2014–15 season by setting up a goal for Osman Sow at Ibrox in stoppage time. He scored his first goal of the season against Hibs in the Edinburgh Derby; a solo effort after he nutmegged Scott Robertson and hit a left-footed drive beyond the keeper.

Minnesota United

On 28 June 2017, it was confirmed that Nicholson agreed to a contract with MLS side Minnesota United FC, and would be eligible to join the team on 10 July 2017. ^[8]

Colorado Rapids

Nicholson was traded from Minnesota to Colorado Rapids on 1 May 2018. Colorado also received an International Roster slot. Minnesota received Eric Miller and $50,000 of General Allocation Money in return. ^[9]

Bristol Rovers

On 22 July 2020, Nicholson returned to the UK, delighted to sign for League One club Bristol Rovers. ^[10] He made his debut for the club on 5 September 2020, in a 3-0 League Cup defeat to Ipswich Town. ^[11] Nicholson scored his first goal for the club on 31 October 2020, opening the scoring in a 1–1 draw at Rochdale, driving forward with the ball before firing in from the edge of the box. ^[12] In late March 2021, Rovers' manager Joey Barton announced that Nicholson would miss the rest of the season as Rovers would fight against the drop, due to the fact that he was to have surgery on his hip, ^[13] which it was announced in April 2021 he had still yet to have had the operation and would likely miss the start of the 2021–22 season also. ^[14]

Nicholson opened his account for the 2021–22 season as he opened the scoring in a League Two 1–1 draw with Barrow, who had been reduced to ten men. ^[15] The season ended in success for Nicholson and Rovers as a 7–0 victory on the final day of the season saw Rovers move into the final automatic promotion place on goals scored. ^[16]

Return to Colorado

On 17 June 2022, it was announced that Nicholson had re-joined MLS side Colorado Rapids on a two-and-a-half-year deal. ^[17] Nicholson made his second debut for the club in a 2–2 comeback draw with Real Salt Lake. ^[18]

On 13 October 2023, it was announced that Nicholson had undergone ankle surgery to decompress the anterior and posterior right ankle joint, causing him to miss the final two games of the season. ^[19]

Nicholson was waived by Colorado on 2 January 2024. ^[20]

Motherwell

On 23 January 2024, Nicholson joined Scottish Premiership club Motherwell on a short-term deal until the end of the season. ^[21] On 31 May 2024, Motherwell announced that they had signed Nicholson to a permanent two-year contract, after he'd initially joined the club on loan from Colorado Rapids. ^[22]

Career statistics

As of 21 October 2023 ^{[23] [24]}

Club	Season	League			Domestic Cup [a]		League Cup [b]		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Heart of Midlothian	2013–14 [25]	Scottish Premiership	25	2	0	0	1	0	–		–		26	2
	2014–15 [26]	Scottish Championship	29	5	0	0	1	0	–		1 [c]	0	31	5
	2015–16 [27]	Scottish Premiership	36	3	3	1	4	1	–		–		43	5
	2016–17 [28]	Scottish Premiership	19	3	3	0	1	0	4 [d]	0	–		27	3
	Total		109	13	6	1	7	1	4	0	1	0	127	15
Minnesota United	2017 [29]	MLS	12	1	0	0	–		–		–		12	1
	2018 [30]		8	1	0	0	–		–		–		8	1
	Total		20	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	20	2
Colorado Rapids	2018 [30]	MLS	19	2	1	0	–		0	0	–		20	2
	2019 [31]		27	2	1	0	–		–		0	0	28	2
	2020		2	0	0	0	–		–		0	0	2	0
	Total		48	4	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	50	4
Bristol Rovers	2020–21 [32]	League One	30	6	2	1	1	0	—		2 [e]	1	35	8
	2021–22 [33]	League Two	34	5	4	0	0	0	—		2 [e]	1	40	6
	Total		64	11	6	1	1	0	0	0	4	2	75	14
Colorado Rapids	2022	MLS	15	1	0	0	0	0	—		0	0	15	1
	2023		22	1	2	1	—		2	0	0	0	26	2
	Total		37	2	2	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	41	3
Career total			278	32	16	3	8	1	6	0	5	2	312	38

1. Includes the Scottish Cup, U.S. Open Cup and FA Cup
2. Includes appearances in the Scottish League Cup and EFL Cup
3. Appearance in the Scottish Challenge Cup
4. Appearances in the UEFA Europa League
5. Appearances in EFL Trophy

Honours

Heart of Midlothian

• Scottish Championship: 2014–15 ^[34]

Bristol Rovers

• EFL League Two third-place promotion: 2021–22 ^[16]

References

1. "Notification of shirt numbers: Bristol Rovers" (PDF). English Football League. p. 14. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
2. "Sam Nicholson". Colorado Rapids. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
3. "Sam Nicholson". Minnesota United FC. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
4. "Sam Nicholson: Hearts role is a dream". The Herald. Glasgow. 10 January 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
5. "Inverness remain top of the Scottish Premiership following a convincing victory over 10 man Hearts". BBC Sport. 31 August 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
6. "Two late goals rescued a point for Hearts against St Johnstone in a dramatic match at McDiarmid Park". BBC Sport. 18 January 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
7. "Levein hails new three year deal for Sam Nicholson". BBC Sport. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
8. "Minnesota United agrees deal to sign Sam Nicholson from Hearts-sources". ESPN FC. 28 June 2017. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
9. "MLS Deadline Day: Every move as Primary Transfer Window closes". MLS. 30 April 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
10. "Sam Nicholson Joins Rovers!". Bristol Rovers. 22 July 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
11. "Ipswich Town 3-0 Bristol Rovers". BBC Sport. 5 September 2020.
12. "Rochdale 1–1 Bristol Rovers". BBC Sport. 31 October 2020. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
13. "Bristol Rovers: Max Ehmer and Sam Nicholson's seasons over due to surgery". BBC Sport. 26 March 2021. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
14. "Nicholson given grim diagnosis as Barton eyes 'overhaul' of Bristol Rovers' internal structure". Bristol Post. 16 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
15. "Barrow 1–1 Bristol Rovers". BBC Sport. 28 August 2021.
16. "Bristol Rovers go up after extraordinary 7–0 win". BBC Sport. 7 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
17. Rapids, Colorado. "Colorado Rapids sign winger Sam Nicholson". Colorado Rapids.
18. "Recap: Rapids launch second-half comeback, draw RSL 2–2 on the road". www.coloradorapids.com. 10 July 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
19. "Colorado Rapids winger Sam Nicholson undergoes successful ankle surgery". coloradorapids.com. 13 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
20. "Colorado Rapids waive Danny Wilson & Sam Nicholson | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer.
21. "Sam Nicholson arrives at Fir Park". www.motherwellfc.co.uk. 23 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
22. "SAM NICHOLSON SECURES PERMANENT ML1 SWITCH". motherwellfc.co.uk. Motherwell F.C. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
23. Sam Nicholson at Soccerway. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
24. Sam Nicholson at Major League Soccer
25. "Games played by Sam Nicholson in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
26. "Games played by Sam Nicholson in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
27. "Games played by Sam Nicholson in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
28. "Games played by Sam Nicholson in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
29. "Games played by Sam Nicholson in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
30. "Games played by Sam Nicholson in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
31. "Games played by Sam Nicholson in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
32. "Games played by Sam Nicholson in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
33. "Games played by Sam Nicholson in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
34. "S. Nicholson". Soccerway. Global Sports Media. Retrieved 20 September 2015.

External links

• Sam Nicholson at Major League Soccer
• Sam Nicholson at Soccerway
• Sam Nicholson at the Scottish Football Association