Bryan Victor Snowdon (listed in some sources as Brian Snowden and also as Bryan, 1 January 1935 – 1 August 2023) was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League for Blackpool, Portsmouth, Millwall and Crystal Palace as a defender. He also played non-league football for Margate and Brentwood and had a spell towards the end of his career with Detroit Cougars.

Brian Snowdon
2021 by EleanorMickel
Personal information
Birth name Brian Victor Snowdon[1]
Date of birth (1935-01-01)1 January 1935
Place of birth Bishop Auckland, England
Date of death 1 August 2023(2023-08-01) (aged 88)
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
Bishop Auckland BC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1955–1960 Blackpool 18 (1)
1960–1964 Portsmouth 114 (0)
1964–1967 Millwall 128 (0)
1967–1968 Margate
1968 Detroit Cougars 27 (0)
1969 Crystal Palace 5 (0)
1969–1970 Brentwood Town
1970–1971 Chelmsford City
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

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Brian Snowdon was born in Bishop Auckland and began his youth career with Bishop Auckland BC before signing for Blackpool of the First Division in 1955. Between then and 1960 he made 18 appearances scoring the only goal of his senior professional career. In 1960, he moved to Portsmouth who had just been relegated from the First Division. At Portsmouth, his first-team opportunities improved, making 114 league appearances over the next four seasons but without scoring. In 1964, he moved to Millwall, making 128 appearances in three years and captaining the side in two promotion seasons[2] before moving into non-league football with Margate, in 1967. At Margate he was made club captain, despite being on a short-term contract due to an already impending move to Detroit Cougars which took place in December 1967.[2]

Snowdon then spent a year with Detroit Cougars making 27 appearances in the 1968 season[2] before returning to the UK, signing a short-term contract with Crystal Palace in February 1969.[3] He made five appearances (four as a substitute) in the latter half of the 1968–69 season at the end of which Palace won promotion to the top tier for the first time.[4] He was released at the end of the season, returning to non-league football with Brentwood. He subsequently played for Chelmsford City, in 1970–71, after they merged with Brentwood.[2]

Personal life and death

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Outside of football, Snowdon worked as a PE teacher and also ran a service station.[2] He died on 1 August 2023, at the age of 88.[5][6]

References

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  1. ^ "Brian Snowdon". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Bryan Snowdon". Margate Football Club History. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  3. ^ Purkiss, Mike; Sands, Nigel (1989). Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–1989. The Breedon Books Publishing Company. p. 340. ISBN 0907969542.
  4. ^ Purkiss, Mike; Sands, Nigel (1989). Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–1989. The Breedon Books Publishing Company. pp. 230–231. ISBN 0907969542.
  5. ^ "Millwall Football Club is saddened to hear of the passing of Brian Snowdon". Millwall F.C. 14 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  6. ^ Snowden, Bryan Victor
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