Joseph Henry Nicholls, known as Joe Nicholls, was a goalkeeper who spent three years at Rovers prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. Before his footballing career Joe trained as a bricklayer and also served with the Grenadier Guards, joining them in 1922 and later becoming the heavyweight boxing champion of his battalion.1 On leaving the army he joined Darlaston Football Club, and after being spotted by First Division side Tottenham Hotspur he was moved into their nursery club, Northfleet United. He died in Nottingham on 20 June 1973 at the age of 68.