Away from the public spotlight Nicky indulges his passion for football. As a teenager he was the youth team goalkeeper at Leeds United before George Graham told him that he would never make it as a professional. But he made some good friends there and even his international jet-set lifestyle doesn't interfere with that. He said: "I still hang out with my mates from the Leeds United youth squad. "Whenever I get a couple of days off I go and visit them and watch them play. "Lots of them have now risen to the first team and are doing really well for themselves. "I still love football and pull on the boots whenever I get the chance. "The problem is finding the time because we are away so much. "I often get phone calls from the lads at Leeds to tell me the scores. "And whenever I go to matches there, they give me my own box and look after me really well."
Nicky's good looks have made him a hit with the Westlife fans. But he is modest about his fame. He said: "It's nice that people make the effort to come out and see you perform live and buy the albums. "I never forget that the fans are the important people - they have put us at the top of the music business. "I always try and respond to as many of the fan mail letters as possible. "If someone stops me in the street for an autograph I always take the time to sign it. "I don't think it's right when pop stars don't take the time to talk to the fans. "The fans could end it all tomorrow if they wanted. All they have to do is stop buying the records and singles."
Nicky said that after two years together as a band, the Westlife lads have become closer than ever. "I think we've all grown up together in the last two years. "When we started out none of us really had any idea what we were getting ourselves into. "Now we are a lot more mature, we've learnt to be more responsible and set a good example to the fans. "At the end of the day we are all in a dream job that most people would kill for. "I wouldn't be doing anything else and the rest of the lads feel the same. "Hopefully in five years' time we'll still be as enthusiastic as we are now. "I don't see how anyone could ever get tired of this business."

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