Members News: One Of Our ‘Boys Of 87’ Is 58 Today- ‘Happy Birthday’ Nick Pick!!
Nick Pick in the Sky Blue
CCFPA is very pleased to send its best ‘58th Birthday Wishes’ to one of our 1987 F.A.Cup winning heroes Nick Pickering who has always been a good friend to the Association.
Born in South Shields on 4th August 1963, Nick was the last member of that fondly remembered squad from the 1980s that joined the Association. We completed his signature the same year (2012) as that of his ‘larger than life’ captain Brian Kilcline. Nick was present with other members of that cup winning squad at both the CCFPA organised 25th and 30th Anniversary Celebration reunion at Nailcote Hall in 2012 and 2017 and now comes back regularly for our Legends Day celebrations.
Nick Pickering
He was last here in March a couple of years ago for the last reunion we were able to hold (Legends Day 2019 -left) and has been a ‘special guest’ for us at the Ricoh at the Sky Blues League One game against another former club Sunderland the same season (below right).
Capped for England once, winger Nick was brought to Highfield Road by Don Mackay (now also an Association member) from the Black Cats in February 1986 to provide width especially on the left but it was the following season (1986-87) where the 22 year old really made his real mark under George Curtis and John Sillett (both fellow CCFPA members). We hope he will be able to make it back to Coventry for the forthcoming tributes and funeral for former ‘gaffer’ George Curtis.
In 2012 Nick confided that he saw the move to Coventry as a bit of a gamble but it certainly paid off as an especially tight knit squad built by John and George finished a comfortable 10th in Division One, reached the 4th Round of the League Cup as well as, of course, carrying off the F.A.Cup for the first (and only) time in the Club’s history.
Nick Pick in the Family Zone at the Sunderland game
Nick moved on to Derby County in 1989 having scored ten goals in 93 appearances for CCFC. After a loan spell with Middlesbrough Nick finished his career at Darlington and then Burnley (1993) and since hanging up his boots has been doing both coaching and media work.
Happy Birthday today Nick, we hope you have a ‘good one’ and we look forward to seeing you back in Coventry for a Sky Blues game and/or CCFPA event before too long!
