As a player, Nicol won five Football League First Division titles, three FA Cup winners medals, and the 1984 European Cup during 14 years with Liverpool. Nicol also played with several other English teams, including Notts County, Sheffield Wednesday and Doncaster Rovers, before emigrating to the United States in 1999. He was most recently coach of the New England Revolution and was the longest-tenured head coach in MLS to coach a single club. Nicol is now a commentator for ESPN FC.