It is often said of Hickson that he is the only player to have played "for all three Merseyside clubs". This is wrong for several reasons: two other players, John Heydon and Frank Mitchell, also played for all three of Everton, Liverpool and Tranmere Rovers. But New Brighton were Football League members from 1923–51 and Bill Lacey and Neil McBain played for all three of Everton, Liverpool and New Brighton. In addition, John Whitehead played for Liverpool, Everton and also for Bootle in their one year as a league team (1892/93), before they were replaced in Division 2 by Liverpool.