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Profile

Full nameLee Anthony Nicholls
PositionGoalkeeper
NationalityEngland
Age34
Date of birth5 Oct 1992
BirthplaceLiverpool
Height195 cm
Shirt number#22
ClubPreston
More about L. Nicholls →
Goalkeeper

Season stats

Full career & schedule →
33
Appearances
9
Clean sheets
27%
CS rate
share of apps kept clean
2859
Minutes

Domestic-league season · Huddersfield.

Also this season

Earlier this season at Huddersfield — League Cup: 3 apps, 0g 0a, 287 min

Earlier this season at Huddersfield — EFL Trophy: 3 apps, 0g 0a, 270 min

The headline Season rating covers his time at Preston; availability counts only fixtures while in this squad.

Scout report

Experienced headGoalkeeper

L. Nicholls is a 34-year-old goalkeeper at Preston, enjoying a standout season — 0 goals and 0 assists in 33 appearances, a Season grade of 24, top 32% of Championship goalkeepers. On long-term scout potential he's rated 19.6, ranking 258th of 272 in the Championship. A seasoned veteran, he has been an ever-present (96.3% of available minutes). Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Nicholls.

Judged on this season alone, Nicholls graded 24 — a solid campaign that ranks top 32% of the 41 goalkeepers in the Championship, on 9 clean sheets across 33 appearances.

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 15 → 18). Over the 6 seasons on record his form has trended upward, peaking in 2021/22.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 20, 34th of 41 of the 41 goalkeepers in the Championship. At 34 Nicholls is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 4.5 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report
Read the full career report →

Below his 2021/22 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.

Peak: 2021/22Trending upStreakyStepped up 2021/22
Current potential34th of 41 goalkeepers · ChampionshipCurrent seasonTop 32% goalkeepers · Championship13th-best goalkeeper in the Championship258th in the Championship · potential34th-highest potential goalkeeper in the Championship
19.6
Ratingi
34th of 41 goalkeepers
23.5
Seasoni
below regular-starter level
96.3%
Minutes
near ever-present
0.09
Def. actions / 90
light defensive volume

Output in context · Preston finished 24th of 24 · a relegation-threatened side

33
Apps
9
Clean sheets
27%
CS rate
96.3%
Minutes

9 clean sheets in 33 appearances (27% of games). Keeping that many behind a relegation-threatened side (24th of 24) — a side that concedes more — points to a busy, productive season between the posts.

Strengths

  • Availability. On the pitch for 96.3% of available minutes — a dependable presence in the XI.

Watch points

  • Age curve. At 34, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
  • Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 19.6, Nicholls carries the 34th-highest potential of the goalkeepers in the Championship of 41, and he is posting that for a relegation-threatened side (Preston finished 24th of 24) — individual numbers are harder to earn on a struggling team, so his underlying level likely sits a touch above the ranking. A near ever-present keeper carrying the gloves this season. Veteran phase — a short-term, lower-fee proposition as both level and value decline (0.6× and falling).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among goalkeepers in the Championship with 600+ minutes this season.

Goalkeeping

Clean sheets9
Penalties conceded1—

Distribution

Passes872
Pass accuracy57%

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards3
Red cards0

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.