NICHOLSON is a product of Albion's youth system and signed pro forms in January 2006 before making his senior debut as a substitute in the club's FA Cup third-round defeat at Reading the same month.

Three days later, the Geordie striker stepped off the bench again to make his league debut in the Barclays Premiership defeat by Sunderland at The Hawthorns. He went on to make three more substitute appearances that term.

Nicholson's season was made complete when he won the club's Young-Player-of-the-Year Award.

And things got even better when he replaced World Cup-bound Theo Walcott in the England Under-19s squad in May 2006, making his international debut as a substitute in a 2-1 defeat by Belgium.

Nicholson put an injury-plagued pre-season behind him by netting his first senior goal on his full Albion debut in a 3-0 Carling Cup victory at Leyton Orient in August 2006. He followed it up with a goal in the next round at home to Cheltenham.

With a wealth of more-experienced striking talent at the club, Nicholson joined Bristol Rovers on a one-month loan in November 2006 as Tony Mowbray looked for the forward to gain more first-team experience.

The deal was extended by a further two months in December 2006, only for Nicholson to be recalled in January 2007 when injuries and suspensions began to bite.

To complete a busy few months, Nicholson signed a new 18-month Albion deal, plus a year's option in the club's favour, on January 31, 2007 before rejoining Rovers on loan until the end of the season on the same day.

First-team chances were again hard to come by at the beginning of 2007/08 and Nicholson joined League Two Shrewsbury on loan in August 2007.

After returning to The Hawthorns in January 2008, he immediately went out on loan to another League Two side, Wrexham. His Racecourse Ground deal runs until April 19, 2008.

The pacy centre-forward initially broke into the reserves during the 2004/05 season. His nine goals the following term saw him finish as the second string's top scorer.