Versatile Alex’s team ambition

Sep 26 2008 By Roger Clarke

MANAGER Jimmy Mullen reckons that young striker Alex Nicholls’ favourite position is anywhere in the starting eleven.

Nicholls might only be 20 but is one of the longest serving players at the club after being spotted as a youngster playing for West Hagley Colts and taken into the Walsall fold at the age of 12.

Five years later he made his first team debut at 17 but his rapid progress was halted by a broken leg, suffered ironically playing not in the first team but in a youth cup tie.

A spell on loan at Burton Albion two years ago helped him regain full fitness and saw him back in the first team last season.

Nicholls’ problem is that he looks the part whether playing wide left, wide right, midfield or as a striker – the position he has played since his Sunday afternoon days as a kid.

“People ask me about where I am playing and where I would like to play. I really don’t mind where I play as long as I am in the team.

“The gaffer took me out a couple of weeks ago and said it needed freshening up a little bit and I held my hands up because my form wasn’t the best at the time.

“I worked hard, played well in the reserves and scored a couple of goals and the gaffer put me back in. If I play, left, right or wherever, I am just happy to be playing. I would give goalie a go, I doubt I would be very successful but I just want to play.

“If I could pick any position though it would be up front. That is where I have played all my life and the gaffer and everyone know that I prefer to play there.”

Nicholls is two footed but said: “I can use both feet but my left foot does need a lot of work but I am willing to put the work in.”

The youngster, like any footballer, has ambitions to play at the highest level he can but for now is happy to play at Walsall, building up confidence and gaining experience. “I just want to play as well as I can here and just take it from there,” he said.