 Nicholson began his career as a youth- and reserve-team player for Cambridge City, and made one brief substitute appearance for their Southern League team in April 2013 before leaving the club at the end of the season.He spent 2013–14 scoring freely in Cambridgeshire County League football for Sawston United, before an equally successful, albeit injury-afflicted, 2014–15 season in the United Counties League with Eynesbury Rovers.He joined Histon of the Southern League Premier Division in the summer of 2015, and scored 15 goals in the space of four months.