Superficially Nicholl, a key player in Saints' rise up the league in the late 1970s and early 80s before succeeding McMenemy as manager, may look like one of the club's managerial successes. At six seasons his tenure is longer than any Saints boss since and under him the club finished as high as 7th, made the semi-finals of the FA and League cups and introduced youth team stars like Alan Shearer and Matt Le Tissier to the first team line-up. So, why is he on this list then? Nicholl's failings lie in a lack of ambition and an excess of caution that saw him take an exciting young team fighting at the top of the table and send them well on a path to the perennial relegation battlers that Saints became in the 90s. The two years before Nicholl had taken over had been Saints' most successful yet, finishing just three points off the top spot in 2nd in 1983-84 and then 5th in 1984-85. He inherited a squad filled with talent like England goalkeeper Peter Shilton and free scoring forwards Danny Wallace (along with teenage brother Rod in the youth team) and Steve Moran. Nevertheless in his first season Southampton finished 14th, matching their worst position since returning to the First Division. Nicholl sold key players and replaced them with youth teamers like Shearer and Rod Wallace who themselves were sold shortly afterwards, setting a negative precedent for how the club continues to operate. That 7th place was his only top half finish in six seasons and if his legacy is anything it is that the regular top half finishers he joined have only ended the season in 10th or above three times since.
