He also played for Northcote and Fitzroy in the 1920s and 1930s, as well as representing Victoria in football. Nicholls was a VFA premiership player for Northcote in 1929 and coached them in 1947.

The Ridunians finished bottom of the eight-team Priaulx League - Guernsey's top level of football - with just one win from their 21 matches and 14 points off second-from-bottom Guernsey Rangers.