Stats from Warrington-

Debut: 08/10/1972
Last game 17/04/1980
Starts 142
Starts + substitutions 142+10
Tries 14
Drop goals 0
Goals 8
Points 58

THIS ENTRY WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED IN FAVORITE MOMENTS No52. 2004.

Mike Nicholas is missing. (from the Heroes and Hardmen list)

He palyed for Warrington in the 70's and as sent off with Eddie Cunningham then of Wigan for fighting.

On the way off he was fighting with his own players then went into the Wigan dressing room instead of his own and tried to strangle Cunningham in the showers.

This was not a one off incident with Mike but one of the more memorable ones

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Details obtained from Warrington fansite website........

http://www.odeauk.fsnet.co.uk/history.htm

Starting in 1978 in December Welsh prop or second rower Mike Nicholas is sent off four times ,1/A high tackle on Keith Bell of Featherstone Rovers 2/ 7 days later he is sent off against Barrow.3/March 1979 sent off against Leigh.4/ Nicholas is sent off after 3 minutes along with Bradford prop Jimmy Thompson for fighting at th second scrum.Starting in 1972 Nicko is sent off a total of 12 times the last time in 1980 he clashed with Jim Mills of Widnes and was sent off by Fred Lindop,Nicko still lives in Warrington and still watches the Wire.

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I remember Mike making his debut for the Wires in 1973. Can't remember the opponents, but he came on as a substitute.

Mike cut an imposing figure from the moment he emerged from the tunnel - all swivelling shoulders and wired agression, you could see it even from fifty yards away.

I recall turning to my mate, Steve, and saying out loud ' What the F***'s this??!"

My astonishment turned out to be prophetic, as Mike becames a fantastic player for the club.

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I remember seeing him in one of his last games for the Wire. It was a typically cold sunday afternoon and I think we were in the 2nd half.

Warrington were attacking the Railway end and members of the Warrington bench were shouting to Mike that he was to be substituted. Mike promptly ignored the efforts of his coaching team for him to leave the field of play. This went on for a number of minutes until Mike barged over the try line. He then trudged off to the half way line and off the field of play........ point made me thinks.

Mike was a real big lad and I think most of the guys gave him a wide berth as he came off the field. Still one of my fondest memories of Wilderspool.

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Mike Nick aka "honey monster" a fiery Welsh forward who could always be relied on to lose his temper at the least provocation. Most opposing teams were aware of this weakness and targeted him accordingly.

The stand out moment for me has to be when he got into a fight with one of our own players,Dennis Curling a relativelely slight winger. I can't for the life of me remeber who the opposition were. The fight happened just before half time.

When they came out for the second half they shook hands on the half way line. Curling shot up in my estimation for having the balls to stand up to him.

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Boyd was awesome-especially remember the Premiership final against Halifax.

Mike Nicholas was another hard man and his try against Fev in the 74 challenge cup final was typical-he had some great scraps against that Featherstone team of the 70s-Stone, Thompson etc.

Great memories!

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I was talking to Paul Cullen last week about Nicko and he told me that once at a training session a young Jimmy Fairhurst was just making it into the team.

At this training session Fairhurst ran right at Nicko. Nicko was about to tackle him, but Jimmy left him grasping thin air.

A few minutes later, once again Fairhust sends a dummy to Nicko and once again Nicko is grasping thin air.

On the third time Fairhurst runs up to Nicko to send him another dummy and, bang he is on the floor Nicko kicking him and shouting " Don't you ever take the P*** out of me again" You had to feel sorry for the guy.

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The most infamous Nickoism was the cup tie at Wigan in 1975 when he was sent off along with Wigans Eddie Cunningham following one of the many mass brawls during the match.

As Nicholas was getting his marching orders i remember him swinging a punch at his teammate Alan Whittle who was trying to calm him down.

The Warrington bench sent the trainer to the dressing rooms following the incident, and legend has it , the trainer heard screams coming from the bath/shower.

It was Cunningham screaming as Nicholas was trying to drown/strangle him

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Mike Nicholas tale of how he thumped Steve Rogers in the first five minutes of the Warrington v Australia tour game in 1978 is well worth hearing from the man himself - Nicko took on the entire Aussie pack more or less single-handed that -night in what can only be described as `legendary fashion ` , any else see that game ?

As an aside to that Mike used to own a tax-i company called Wire Wheels which used to operate from a portacabin close to Warrington Central train station - the night after the game two scousers how were waiting in there for a cab started to wreck the coffee machine - when advised to desist by Mike they told him to `f-off`( not having a clue who he was) - the first one was then propelled through the window of the bank opposite , the second one then legged it very sharpish !

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QUOTE FROM MIKE NICHOLAS RE THE FAMOUS CLASH BETWEEN WARRINGTON AND THE VISITING KANGAROOS. 1978

Warrington 15 Australia 12

Mike Nicholas

"I felt fine before the game. I think I took the second tackle. Five Aussies came into me like a salvo of bullets. I stood up to one, two, three, four, but the fifth was enough. I kneeled over with my head full of floodlights. Draggin myself up from the ground I thought, "O.K. Nicko, it's them or you"

Quote taken from official game program Warrington -v- Australia Wednesday 31st October 1990.
Quigs was at that game, as part of the Rugby League Week Tour 1990.

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QUOTE FROM TONY BARROW RE MIKE NICHOLAS AND THE FAMOUS CLASH BETWEEN WARRINGTON AND THE VISITING KANGAROOS. 1978

Warrington 15 Australia 12

Tony Barrow

"A hell of a match. I was in the dugout and recall that Nicko who had been out injured and was not expected to play rolled up at the last minute and announced himself as fit. Billy said, "Right you're in".

What a decision! Nicko played his heart out, matching the Aussies blow for blow. The atmosphere was terrific but after the game, I can recollect Frank Stanton locking his team in the dressing room for about an hour and dismissing the clamouring Press out of it. They didn't stay too long after the reception. They definately did not like losing"

Quote taken from official game program Warrington -v- Australia Wednesday 31st October 1990.

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I watched Mike Nicholas take on and distroy the touring Aussie 1978 team on his own one Wednesday night at a packed out Wilderspool.

The bloke never took a step back.

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I have a Nicko story for you.

A silly but true one for you.

Apologies if youve already heard it from someone else. Mike Nicholas finished his career at Cardiff RL.

When we went to Wales in the 80s for our hero John Bevans testimonial match between Warrington and Cardiff, Nicholas starngely asked if he could play on the Wire side.

Well he used to play for us so why not it's only a testimonal (supposedly a friendly). After 5 minutes when Nico has thumped Chris Seldon of Cardiff, the Ref penalised Nico, then 5 minutes later when Nico hit Seldon with another haymaker the Ref warned the pair of them on the lines of "come on lads it's only a friendly" and finally after about 20 minutes he sent the pair off for fighting.

The game was played at Bevans home village in Tylorstown and understandably for a very small club only had a couple of portakins for changing rooms.

Well after having another go at each other as they were walking off we saw one of the changing rooms rocking as they were having an almighty scrap.

At the start of the next season I saw the Ref from that day and asked him his memory of the event. The funniest thing he said was having to send a report to RFL headquarters explaining that he had sent 2 players both from Cardiff off for fighting with each other!!!! .

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At a recent England amatuers V wales amatuers in Featherstone , Mike Nichols was the guest of honour. I was doing the announcing and Mike stood next to me at the back of the main stand.

It was a lovely day with view across the other side of the pitch.

"Wow" said Mike " I didn't realise the sun ever shone here. I'm really looking forward to watching the game today as I have never seen the end of a game here I have always been back in the dressing rooms for being sent off"

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Went to a dinner last month that had Andy Gregory as a guest speaker. He was asked to describe JIm Mills (who he had played with early in his career). He said that he was 'Tempermental - 50% temper, 50% mental'.

He talked about a game when he was on the bench. Mike Nicholas (spelling) hit Jim Mills with a high tackle early in the game, leaving him on the floor. The ref (Billy Thompson) called Nicholas out. As he did, Mills shouted "Leave him on Billy". Nicholas gets to the ref, who gives him a caution. He says "Am i not going off then?". The ref replied "Not yet, but very likely in the foreseeable future". He left on a stretcher soon after.

If you get chance to listen to Gregory, he's a good after dinner speaker.

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TO REFER TO BIG CHIPPERS STORY-I WORKED FOR MIKE AT WIRE WHEELS IN THE EARLY 80s AND RECALLED A SIMILAR SITUATION WITH TWO LOCAL TOUGH MEN TRYING IT ON WITH MIKE AND HIS SIDEKICK EDDIE LAMBERT-NEEDLESS TO SAY THE BOYS LASTED SECONDS AND DEPARTED BLEEDING HEAVILY AND MINUS A FEW TEETH!!!

SERIOUSLY THOUGH MIKE IS A GREAT BLOKE AND A TRUE GENTLEMAN-AND WAS A TOUGH AND TALENTED PLAYER-I COUNT MIKE A GOOD FRIEND AND IT IS AN HONOUR TO KNOW HIM

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