Nichols Interview

www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/nichols-reflects-mental-struggles-bristol-4820887

Boos and social media criticism have not stopped Tom Nichols reflecting on his time at Bristol Rovers with fondness.

But the former Gas striker admits there were mental struggles and “down days” as he failed to match expectations at the Mem.

The 27-year-old joined the Gas from Peterborough United in 2017 for a reported fee of £350,000, just shy of the record fee paid for Andy Tilson 25 years previously.

More than 100 appearances but only nine goals followed before being told he was free to leave by former manager Ben Garner in January.

A six-month loan spell at Cheltenham Town ensued before a free transfer in the summer to their League Two rivals Crawley Town, where Nichols has rediscovered his scoring touch with eight goals in 20 appearances.

Nichols, who feels in a “really good place” on and off the pitch at Crawley, has given an honest assessment of his time at Rovers.

“Obviously, it didn’t go to plan,” Nichols exclusively told Bristol Live. “The day I walked in the door, if you told me how many goals I would score I wouldn’t have been happy with that.

“I didn’t score anywhere near as much as I wanted to, but I do look back with fondness.

“I met a lot of good people there and the fans were good to me to be fair, considering the goal record.

“I’m sure a lot of players have been booed for a lot less. I didn’t produce on that front, but I do look back with fondness. I played a lot of games and enjoyed my time there.

“I didn’t score enough goals, but I appreciated the managers I played under.”

Ultimately, Nichols was brought in to score goals and he did not deliver as desired. Criticism from paying supporters was justified and the former Exeter City prospect has no complaints.

But it did not make those evenings after a disappointing performance in front of goal any easier.

“I definitely did have some down days and down periods, I’m not going to deny that,” Nichols said.

“It was a struggle at times because I’d gone from being a goalscorer to not being able to hit a barn door.

“It was tough for me, but involving yourself with the lads really does help. Some players might go into their shell a bit more and sit by themselves.

“I was trying to enjoy it as much as I can and get the enjoyment back in the game while I wasn’t scoring goals.

“It was tough, I can’t deny that and I’m sure my family would tell you that as well. To be honest, it’s probably tougher on them.

“Reading stuff online affects them more than it does me. I know my dad struggles with that, reading stuff online does upset him.

“I did have some down times when I was missing chances and we weren’t winning. When your team doesn’t win and you’ve missed a few chances, you really do take that personally.

“Maybe that was why my goal record wasn’t as good, maybe I dwelled on things too much.”

Criticism of Nichols perhaps peaked in October 2019 after a costly penalty miss at Doncaster Rovers but, just a few weeks later, his striking partner Jonson Clarke-Harris launched a staunch defence of his teammate in the press.

“He’s created so many goals for me. Now that I classify him as a friend, it's (the criticism) starting to touch me now,” Clarke-Harris told Bristol Live.

Nichols remains heartened by the words of his former colleague, who is now League One’s top scorer at Peterborough United.

“I knew I was contributing to the team, I knew I wasn’t playing terribly,” Nichols said. “I knew I had to offer value in other parts of my game, because at the time I couldn’t score goals. I had to do that in other ways.

“I do remember that from Jonno. I won’t forget that. He didn’t have to do that because he was on fire at the time, so he could have easily carried on doing what he was doing.

“But he went out of his way to back me in the press, I will always hold Jonno in very high regard for that.”

Fast-forward a couple of months and Graham Coughlan had departed. He was replaced by Garner, who took less than a fortnight to make his decision on Nichols’ future.

The Somerset-born striker was told he was surplus to requirements and was free to move elsewhere.

“It was a quick decision,” Nichols recalls. “He said he had been watching our games for a little while and he said to me ‘I think you could do with a fresh start’, which is fair enough.

“Looking from the outside, you could say I probably did need that, but at the time we were going pretty well and I was a big part of the team.

“Every manager has their own ideas and I don’t hold any grudges against him for that.

“I suppose I’m glad he told me early. Some managers would wait until the last day of the window and say you’ve got to find a new club.”

There were good times at the Gas amid the disappointment for Nichols, who named a Carabao Cup defeat to Premier League Brighton & Hove Albion, when he scored and delivered an outstanding all-round performance, as his favourite game in the blue and white quarters.

Coughlan’s last game, a 2-1 win at Ipswich Town 12 months ago, also is worthy of mention with Nichols netting a diving header, and the striker left a Rovers side in play-off contention before they dramatically collapsed to a bottom-half finish.

Seven appearances and a play-off run with Cheltenham followed before he was released by Rovers in the summer.

2020 has been a good time for few people and it certainly was not an ideal time to be between jobs, or clubs.

Nichols had a move lined up to one League Two club which collapsed late in the day, followed by a two-week trial with League One Swindon Town. At last, his move to Crawley materialised five days before the start of the season.

“It was frustrating,” Nichols recalled. “I was ready to go somewhere and that fell through. I then trained with Swindon for a couple of weeks and that didn’t happen.

“We were getting closer and closer to the season and I hadn’t signed anywhere. I always keep myself fit but you can never be match fit.

“I’m sure my agent was getting annoyed with ringing him every other day, but I’m really pleased with what happened in the end.”

The move to the Broadfield Stadium has seen Nichols reunited with former Gas players Sam Matthews and Tony Craig.

Craig and Nichols, in particular, have a strong bond from their time at the Mem. So much so that Nichols dressed up as the centre-back as a Christmas party, donning a full Millwall kit with a captain’s armband and Adidas World Cup boots.

Craig too was released by Rovers in the summer, and Nichols admits he was surprised Rovers let him go.

“I get on really well with Tone,” he said. “He’s a good guy and he’s playing really well. It does help you settle in when you know a few faces around the place.

“Sam Matthews as well, I knew him before. They know my game and I know them and it doesn’t take as long to build connections because you’ve already got them. It does help when joining a club.

“Tony’s an experienced player and he’s played at a higher level and he played very well for Rovers.

“I know they’ve got a young squad there and I’m sure he would have been great value there, but that was the way the manager at the time wanted to go I suppose.

“I was surprised they released him, though, because he’s still playing at a very high level. He might be kicking on a bit, he won’t mind me saying it – or maybe he will, I don’t know – but he’s still fit as a fiddle and he never misses a game. He’s a credit to himself really, the way he looks after himself.”

Nichols would be first to admit parts of his career have not gone as planned in recent years, but he is happy with how things have worked out.

“I’ve come to Crawley, I’ve enjoyed myself and I’m playing well,” he concluded.

“It was a fresh start really. Mentally I was in a really good place and I scored early, which does help.

“It took me a while to do that at Rovers, but I scored in my first start which does help and I’m really enjoying my football and living up here.”