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Lee Nicholls

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Lee Nicholls
Nicholls in 2026
Personal information
Full name Lee Anthony Nicholls[1]
Date of birth (1992-10-05) 5 October 1992 (age 34)
Place of birth Huyton, England
Height 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)[2]
Position Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Preston North End
Number 21
Youth career
2009–2010 Wigan Athletic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2016 Wigan Athletic 9 (0)
2010 → Hartlepool United (loan) 0 (0)
2011 → Shrewsbury Town (loan) 0 (0)
2011 → Sheffield Wednesday (loan) 0 (0)
2012 → Accrington Stanley (loan) 9 (0)
2012–2013 → Northampton Town (loan) 46 (0)
2015–2016 → Bristol Rovers (loan) 15 (0)
2016–2021 Milton Keynes Dons 131 (0)
2021–2026 Huddersfield Town 152 (0)
2026– Preston North End 0 (0)
International career‡
2011 England U19 1 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 31 January 2026 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 8 February 2011 (UTC)

Lee Anthony Nicholls (born 5 October 1992) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for EFL Championship club Preston North End.

Early life

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Lee Nicholls was born in Huyton, Merseyside.

Club career

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Wigan Athletic

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Nicholls signed scholarship forms with Wigan Athletic in the summer of 2009. After a series of impressive performances for the reserve team, he appeared for the first-team as a substitute for the first time on 2 January 2010 in a 4–1 FA Cup third round victory over Hull City.[3]

Later in the month, he signed a two-and-a-half-year professional contract with the club.[4] In January 2012, Nicholls extended his contract at Wigan until 2014.[5] In between loan spells, Nicholls made his league debut on 27 October 2013 in a goalless draw away to Charlton Athletic.[6]

Loan spells

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Between November 2010 and May 2011, Nicholls was sent out on loan to Hartlepool United, Shrewsbury Town and Sheffield Wednesday, but failed to make a single appearance.[7] On 24 February 2012, he joined Accrington Stanley on an initial one-month loan deal. Nicholls later made nine appearances for the club.[8]

On 6 August 2012, Nicholls signed on loan for League Two side Northampton Town until the end of October 2012, and later re-signed on 6 November 2012 until the end of the 2012–13 season.[9]

On 5 May 2013, Nicholls competed for Northampton Town in the League Two play-off semi-final second leg against Cheltenham Town. In total, Nicholls made 51 appearances for Northampton Town, achieving 20 clean sheets before returning to Wigan.[10] On 11 September 2015, Nicholls joined League Two side Bristol Rovers on a three-month loan.[11][12]

Milton Keynes Dons F.C

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On 3 August 2016, following the expiry of his contract with Wigan, Nicholls joined League One club Milton Keynes Dons, signing a two-year deal.[13] Nicholls made his debut for the club on 9 August 2016, featuring in a 2–3 EFL Cup first round victory over Newport County.[14] In his first season for the club, Nicholls' made a total of sixteen appearances in all competitions, achieving two clean sheets.[15]

Following the departure of first choice goalkeeper David Martin, Nicholls took over the number one shirt for the 2017–18 season.[16] On 29 December 2017, Nicholls signed a contract extension keeping him at the club until June 2020.[17] On 6 May 2021, the club announced Nicholls was one of four players to be released at the end of the 2020–21 season, ending his almost five-year association with MK Dons in which he made over 150 appearances.[18]

Huddersfield Town

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On 26 May 2021, Nicholls signed for EFL Championship club Huddersfield Town on a two-year deal following the expiry of his contract with Milton Keynes Dons on 1 July 2021.[19] He made his debut on 1 August 2021, keeping a clean sheet in a goalless EFL Cup first round draw with Sheffield Wednesday, with Huddersfield progressing to the next round following Nicholls' two penalty shoot-out saves.[20]

He went on to have a successful debut season with the club, achieving 19 clean sheets and playing a key role in Huddersfield reaching the 2022 EFL Championship play-off final.[21] Nicholls was later named in both the EFL Championship Team of the Season[22] and Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year.[23]

International career

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In 2010, Nicholls was named in the England U19 squad that reached the semi-finals of the UEFA European Under-19 Championships,[24] but did not make an appearance in the tournament. He made his debut for the team in February 2011 in a 1–0 defeat against Germany.[25]

Career statistics

[edit]
As of 11 April 2026
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Wigan Athletic 2010–11[26] Premier League 0000——00
2011–12[27] Premier League 00———00
2012–13[28] Premier League 00———00
2013–14[29] Championship 6000102[a]090
2014–15[30] Championship 100000—10
2015–16[31] League One 200000—20
Total 90001020120
Hartlepool United (loan) 2010–11[26] League One 000000—00
Shrewsbury Town (loan) 2010–11[26] League Two 000000—00
Sheffield Wednesday (loan) 2010–11[26] League One 000000—00
Accrington Stanley (loan) 2011–12[27] League Two 900000—90
Northampton Town (loan) 2012–13[28] League Two 46000005[b][c]0510
Bristol Rovers (loan) 2015–16[31] League Two 15010002[b]0180
Milton Keynes Dons 2016–17[32] League One 8020204[b]0160
2017–18[33] League One 410401000460
2018–19[34] League Two 400102000430
2019–20[35] League One 350101010380
2020–21[36] League One 70301030140
Total 131011070801570
Huddersfield Town 2021–22[21] Championship 43000203[d]0480
2022–23[37] Championship 2800010—290
2023–24[38] Championship 3701000—380
2024–25[39] League One 230000000230
2025–26[40] League One 33010303[e]0400
Total 16402060601780
Preston North End 2026–27 Championship 0000000000
Career total 37401401402304250
  1. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa League.
  2. 1 2 3 Appearances in Football League Trophy.
  3. ↑ Three appearances in Football League Two play-offs.
  4. ↑ Three appearances in EFL Championship play-offs.
  5. ↑ Appearances in EFL Trophy

Honours

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Bristol Rovers

Milton Keynes Dons

Individual

References

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  1. ↑ "The Football League Limited: Club list of registered players as at 16th May 2015" (PDF). The Football League. 16 May 2015. p. 36. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  2. ↑ "Lee Nicholls". Huddersfield Town A.F.C. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  3. ↑ "On the Bench ... With Lee Nicholls, a Keeper Tipped for the Top at Wigan". FanHouse UK. 28 July 2010. Archived from the original on 30 December 2017. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  4. ↑ "Keeper earns his stripes". 27 January 2010. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  5. ↑ "New Deal For Lee Nicholls". Wigan Athletic F.C. 23 January 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  6. ↑ "Charlton Athletic 0-0 Wigan Athletic". BBC Sport. 27 October 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  7. ↑ "Lee Nicholls". Soccerbase. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  8. ↑ "Goalkeeper Nicholls joins Accrington Stanley on loan". Lancashire Telegraph. 24 February 2012. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  9. ↑ "Northampton Town sign keeper Lee Nicholls for season". BBC Sport. 6 November 2012. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  10. ↑ "Games played by Lee Nicholls in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  11. ↑ "Lee Nicholls: Bristol Rovers sign Wigan Athletic keeper on loan". BBC Sport. 11 September 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  12. ↑ "Games played by Lee Nicholls in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  13. ↑ "Dons grab goalkeepr Nicholls". Milton Keynes Dons Official Site. 3 August 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  14. ↑ "Report: Newport County 2-3 Dons". Milton Keynes Dons Official Site. 9 August 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  15. ↑ "Games played by Lee Nicholls in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  16. ↑ "MK Dons 2017/18 squad numbers revealed". Milton Keynes Dons. 21 July 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  17. ↑ "Nicholls commits future to the Dons". Milton Keynes Dons. 29 December 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  18. ↑ "Quartet set to depart". Milton Keynes Dons. 6 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  19. ↑ "Signing: Lee Nicholls agrees to join Town!". Huddersfield Town. 26 May 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  20. ↑ "Sheffield Wednesday 0-0 Huddersfield Town: Terriers through after EFL Cup penalties". BBC. 1 August 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  21. 1 2 "Games played by Lee Nicholls in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  22. 1 2 "Football Manager EFL Team of the Season line-ups announced". efl.com. 24 April 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  23. 1 2 "PFA Championship Team of the Year". Professional Footballers' Association. 9 June 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  24. ↑ "Nicholls makes England cut". 15 July 2010. Archived from the original on 19 July 2010. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  25. ↑ "Denis proves England's menace". The Football Association. 8 February 2011. Retrieved 8 February 2011.
  26. 1 2 3 4 "Games played by Lee Nicholls in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  27. 1 2 "Games played by Lee Nicholls in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  28. 1 2 "Games played by Lee Nicholls in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  29. ↑ "Games played by Lee Nicholls in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  30. ↑ "Games played by Lee Nicholls in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  31. 1 2 "Games played by Lee Nicholls in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  32. ↑ "Games played by Lee Nicholls in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  33. ↑ "Games played by Lee Nicholls in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  34. ↑ "Games played by Lee Nicholls in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  35. ↑ "Games played by Lee Nicholls in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  36. ↑ "Games played by Lee Nicholls in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  37. ↑ "Games played by Lee Nicholls in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  38. ↑ "Games played by Lee Nicholls in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  39. ↑ "Games played by Lee Nicholls in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  40. ↑ "Games played by Lee Nicholls in 2025/2026". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  41. ↑ Anderson, John, ed. (2016). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2016–2017. London: Headline Publishing Group. pp. 90–91. ISBN 978-1-4722-3395-0.
  42. ↑ "League Two: 2018/19: Current table". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
    "MK Dons: Squad details: 2018/19". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
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