RIP Nigel Sims | Vital Football

RIP Nigel Sims

Trekker

Trekker

Has a high horse
Legendary AVFC 57 cup final keeper, Nigel Sims, has passed away.

Holtender in the Sky.
 
Alan Deakin recently and Jimmy McEwan in late November - Our older Villa heroes are sure leaving us recently.

Nigel was just before my time at Villa Park and I remember more Colin Withers in goal for us.

I understand he was a good goalkeeper and ironically after our FA Cup 3rd round debacle yesterday, Nigel was the goalkeeper when we last won the FA Cup in 1957.....I hope he didn't see how the manager and team appeared to undervalue the importance of the FA Cup yesterday?

Rest In Peace Nigel and thank you for everything you did for the Villa :1: :1:


EDIT: Below Nigel second left and Jimmy McEwan 4th along and Nigel in his prime proudly holding the base of the FA Cup at Wembley in 1957 :94:
 

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In a game v Man Ure, pre Munich, I remember a 5' 6" Ernie Taylor charging Nigel after he'd gathered the ball from a cross - Nigel just put his hand on his head and pushed him to the ground. Taylor never came near him again all game. He was a "big lad" was Nigel,
After retiring I believe he went to Canada where he joined the RCMP "The Mounties."
Sorely missed.
 
Sad. Another Villa legend is lost. Saw him play in the early 60s when I went to London. A big lad who seemed to get bigger as time went on. Very good keeper.
 
Just fired up the laptop and seen this. Nigel was my first Villa goalkeeper and a very good one.
RIP Nigel.
 
Thomas Holte - 7/1/2018 10:31

Alan Deakin recently and Jimmy McEwan in late November - Our older Villa heroes are sure leaving us recently.

Nigel was just before my time at Villa Park and I remember more Colin Withers in goal for us.

I understand he was a good goalkeeper and ironically after our FA Cup 3rd round debacle yesterday, Nigel was the goalkeeper when we last won the FA Cup in 1957.....I hope he didn't see how the manager and team appeared to undervalue the importance of the FA Cup yesterday?

Rest In Peace Nigel and thank you for everything you did for the Villa :1: :1:


EDIT: Below Nigel second left and Jimmy McEwan 4th along and Nigel in his prime proudly holding the base of the FA Cup at Wembley in 1957 :94:
Click to expand...

Good photo TH. I didnt know jimmy McEwan had died as well. I must have missed that one.
I had the privilege of marking Jimmy in a game when he was in his forties, and he made a complete mug out of me even at that age.
 
I'm very lucky. I was at Wembley when we last won the cup. Sadly almost all the team has now passed on. They were not great players, but the had guts and would fight till the end. I have to say this lot we have now are not interested in the Villa, just the fat pay packets.
RIP Nigel.
 
A nice memory of Nigel.....


Aston Villa FC
Published on 19 Mar 2012
"1957 FA Cup winning goalkeeper for Aston Villa, Nigel Sims, speaks to AVTV about his new book 'In Safe Hands' written in conjunction with Colin Abbott."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKiEKsBMXv0
 
I mentioned on the Alan Deakin thread that he had played in the first ever Villa game I watched, back in November 1963.
So did Nigel Sims.
And so did Jimmy McEwen.
All three sadly gone in a matter of weeks.
In fact, of that eleven, the following are also now Holte Enders in the Sky - John Sleeuwenhoek, Vic Crowe and Tony Hateley.
RIP Nigel and condolences to his familu.
And don't be in any hurry to join them - Mick Wright, Charlie Aitken, Dave Pountney, Tommy Ewing and Harry Burrows!
 
BBJ - 7/1/2018 20:51
And don't be in any hurry to join them - Mick Wright, Charlie Aitken, Dave Pountney, Tommy Ewing and Harry Burrows!
Click to expand...

Hear, hear! We need them around.

There's a great interview Peter McParland did for the Mail last May, talking about THE cup final, 1957. There's a pic of the team, with Nigel Sims on the right.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4542620/Man-Utd-fans-won-t-forgive-says-Peter-McParland.html
 
Nigel and jimmy Dugdale we’re my first hero’s
In his book footballs toughest team chopper Harris put Nigel in goal. The young Chopper used to charge keepers but when he played Villa for the first time his mates told him not to go near Nigel or they might be down to ten men.

Commanded the area and it took Bert Williams to keep him out of the England team.

I still have the fully signed players 1957 pre Wembley handbook
RIP

 
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