A Thorough Professional - Brian Victor Snowdon 1935-2023 (1/3)

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A Thorough Professional - Brian Victor Snowdon 1935-2023 a tribute by Blackpool FC historian Gerry Wolstenholme.

Brian Snowdon was born in Bishop Auckland on 1 January 1935. After junior football he joined his local club Bishop Auckland as an inside forward. And when he was spotted by a Blackpool scout he was signed by Blackpool as an amateur inside forward on 1 February 1952.

After playing in the junior sides, Blackpool were impressed enough to sign him as a professional on 29 August 1952. The club quickly converted him into a promising wing half when playing in the Lancashire Combination side and the Blackpool ‘A’ team. But his Blackpool career was interrupted when he joined the RAF on 18 February 1953 for his two years’ National Service.

Immediately on his return to the club he made his Central League debut at right half against Sheffield Wednesday reserves on 19 February 1955 when Blackpool won 2-1. He went on to play three Central League games in the 1954/55 season.

He was tried at centre half in the Central League team in the opening game of the 1955/56 season on 20 August 1955 when Blackpool defeated Bolton Wanderers reserves 1-0 and, encouragingly, manager Joe Smith said, ‘He is the ideal deputy to Gratrix. I would never have any worries about playing Snowden in the first team.’ And from then on centre half was his preferred position.

He made his First Division debut at centre half in front of a crowd of 57,820 against Everton on 21 April 1956 when Blackpool lost 1-0 and unfortunately Farrell’s shot deflected off Snowdon’s foot to defeat goalkeeper George Farm. However, the Liverpool Echo reported, ‘Kirby went to centre forward but he did not have the subtlety to beat such sparkling wing half backs as the two Kellys [Jim and Hughie] and Snowdon’. And Brian Pilkington in the Lancashire Evening Post reported, ‘Snowdon, the 21-year-old reserve centre half, had a grand game for his first division debut and was always the master of centre forward Harris, especially in the air.’

He retained his place for the final League game of the season on 28 April 1956 when Blackpool required a single point to be sure of second place in Division One. Unfortunately Blackpool, despite going ahead after three minutes, lost 2-1 to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Results, however, went Blackpool’s way and they did finish as runners-up to Manchester United.

During the 1955/56 season his progress was closely noted by several clubs and quite a few showed an interest in signing him but Blackpool had no intention in considering any approach for him. He had played two League games and 35 Central League games in the 1955/56 season. And post-season he played in the Westmorland County FA Invitation Trophy at Kendal against Preston North End on 30 April 1956, when he ‘did well in defence’ as the game was drawn 2-2. The clubs each held the Trophy for six months.

After playing most of the 1956/57 season at centre half in the Central League side, he was recalled to the League side at right half for the game against Chelsea on 13 April 1957 when the comment was ’The two new boys had started weakly [Brian Peterson was making only his second appearance], but as the half progressed Peterson had shown his wiles as a ball player, and Snowdon had appeared more in the picture as a strong, quick-tackling wing half.’ Blackpool won the game 1-0.

He also played the final two League games of the season at centre half when Blackpool lost to Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 on 27 April 1957 and defeated Burnley 1-0 on 1 May 1957. He played three League games and 33 Central League games, including one at centre forward, in the 1956/57 season.

His performances in the 1956/57 season earned him a weekly wage increase for the 1957/58 season to £13 in the summer and £16 in the winter.

And, a regular in the Central League side, he once again earned an end of season recall into the league side when he appeared at centre half against Everton on 23 April 1958 when Blackpool fielding what was described as ‘an experimental team’ with Wright, Armfield and Garrett unfit, Gratrix moved to his original position of right back and Snowdon took his place at centre half; interestingly there were three South African players in the forward line in Perry, Peterson and Hauser, the last named making his debut. Blackpool lost the game 1-0.

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A Thorough Professional - Brian Victor Snowdon 1935-2023 a tribute by Blackpool FC historian Gerry Wolstenholme. (2/3)

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It was Snowdon’s only league game of the season but he did play 39 Central League games, scoring five goals, all penalties, in the 1957/58 season.

And once again his performances earned him a wage increase for the 1958/59 season when his weekly wage was £16 in the summer and £19 in the winter.

Perhaps surprisingly he was tried at centre forward at the start of the 1958/59 season and he scored in his first game in the position in a 3-1 victory over Newcastle United reserves on 23 August 1958.

He earned a call-up to the league side at centre forward for the game against Newcastle United on 3 September 1958 but he failed to score as Blackpool lost 1-0. He kept his place for the following game against Wolverhampton Wanderers when Blackpool were ‘on the defensive for the whole of the game’ and lost 2-0.

Back in the Central League side he scored a hat-trick in just 10 minutes late in the second half on 17 September 1958 to give Blackpool a 4-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers reserves. And on 27 September he was re-introduced into the league side at centre forward, replacing the injured Ray Charnley, against West Ham United and he opened the scoring slotting home a pass from Matthews to score his first Division One goal as Blackpool went on to a 2-0 victory.

Perhaps understandably, he requested a transfer in September 1958 because, as he said, ‘With Roy Gratrix on the club’s books I feel that my chances of gaining a regular first team place at centre half are pretty slim.’ And he added, ’I want to play at centre half which I consider to be my best position.’ The Directors agreed to consider offers for him but when he was told that no suitable offer had been made, he asked to be taken off the list in February 1959.

Interestingly, three weeks after requesting a transfer he decided to tell his side of the story to the local press. He said, ’First came the news that the directors had agreed to consider offers for me. Then followed the unfortunate accident to Ray Charnley which resulted in my being recalled to the first team. And last Saturday I had the pleasure of scoring my first League goal. As far as first team football goes, this was my happiest match and I enjoyed it. I certainly felt more at home in the centre forward position than I did when I led the attack at Newcastle and Wolverhampton.

‘But let me say straight away that this has not made me change my mind about my future plans. Those spectators who might be thinking that I now want to withdraw my transfer request should know that I am still determined to go. My reasons for wanting a move were and still are, twofold. The first is that with such an accomplished and consistent player as Roy Gratrix on the club’s books I feel that my chances of gaining a regular first team place at centre half are pretty slim. The second reason is that I want to play at centre half, which I consider to be my best position.

‘I came to Blackpool as an amateur inside forward from Bishop Auckland in 1952 and as an inside forward I failed miserably. Although by then I had turned professional I considered very much giving up the game. My confidence and enthusiasm were sinking and I felt that I was just not good enough. But Blackpool persevered with me, converted me to centre half and almost immediately I felt renewed confidence in myself. “This is the position for me”, I told myself and everything that has happened since has only strengthened that belief. But I shall never forget that it was Blackpool who still had faith in me when things were looking bleak and this is only one of several reasons why, when the time comes, I shall leave Blackpool with many regrets.

‘My decision to ask for a transfer was not taken lightly. I considered the situation from every angle and talked it over with my wife a lot before sending in my application. You see, Blackpool have treated me extremely well. They put me on top money even though I was a reserve player, and in many other aspects they have been considerate and understanding. I know that no matter which other club I may join I cannot expect fairer treatment than that I have received at Bloomfield Road.

‘When Mr Ronnie Suart, the manager, moved me to centre forward in the second team at the start of the season I appreciated that, faced with a shortage of forwards, it was only natural that he should make experiments. Believe me, I have done my best to make a go of the centre forward position. I am not the sort of player to sulk if I moved out of position. But after 11 games at centre forward before today [4 October 1958], three of them in the senior side, I still feel that I am essentially a centre half. I am 23 years old and most ambitious to succeed in my chosen profession. I consider that I have had sufficient experience at Bloomfield Road to be ready for the vagaries of League football. To leave Blackpool will be a wrench, and it will be even harder for my wife, who is a local girl, but I want to make a success in the game and I feel I can best do it with some other club.’
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A Thorough Professional - Brian Victor Snowdon 1935-2023 a tribute by Blackpool FC historian Gerry Wolstenholme. (3/3)

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In a 1-1 draw with Burnley on 11 October 1958 when the Blackpool ’attack [was] never a real power’ he very nearly broke the deadlock when Perry crossed the ball and Snowdon ‘waited for it, leaped high at it and headed it in fast. The Kop were preparing to release the old Kop roar as McDonald, probably unsighted, but instinctively leaping the right way, held the ball superbly’.

After a run of five league games, he returned to the Central League side and he ’was the chief architect of the visitors’ recovery’ as he scored twice in the side’s 2-2 draw with Huddersfield Town reserves on 7 February 1959. He did return for three further league games in his preferred centre half position and what turned out to be his last league game of the season was in a 3-0 victory over Leeds United on 4 April 1959. In his final full season at the club, he played 10 League games, scoring one goal, and 31 Central League games, scoring 16 goals while alternating between the centre forward and centre half positions.

What turned out to be his final league games for Blackpool came on 9 and 12 September 1959 when he played at centre half in a 1-1 draw and a disappointing 5-0 defeat respectively. And he had requested a transfer again in order to attain regular first team football, ironically just as he had been told that he would be in the first team to play at Leicester. But he said, ’Getting in the first team does not really solve my problems as I think it can only be a temporary measure. I cannot expect an extended run with a player like Gratrix around, especially if I am unlucky enough to have a bad game or two.’ If his request was to be granted, it was expected that quite a few clubs would be interested in signing him.

His request was indeed granted and almost immediately the decision to release him was announced he was transferred to Portsmouth for a fee of £8,500 (some reports incorrectly state £10,000) on 7 October 1959 when the terms were that Portsmouth would pay an initial £5,000 on his signing and the balance of £3,500 by 31 December 1959; in the event the final £3,500 was received on 1 March 1960.

He had played two League games and nine Central League games, scoring one goal, up to his transfer in the 1959/60 season and his senior career at the club had encompassed 18 League games, in which he scored one goal, and 150 Central League games, in which he scored 22 goals. [As a youngster I had seen many of his Central League games; travelling away when my Dad was working was out of the question, and he became one of my favourite players.]

He went straight into the Portsmouth first team and was made captain of the Second Division side. His first game at Fratton Park coincided with Portsmouth’s first home win for 11 months!

He entered hospital for a shoulder operation in February 1960 following two dislocations of his collarbone and missed a number of games but he eventually played 114 League games and 15 Cup ties for Portsmouth. He was then transferred to Millwall in October 1963 and he was once again made captain for the 1964/65 season. He went on to play 128 League games for Millwall, who during his tenure went through a period of 59 home matches unbeaten! During this period he led the club to successive promotions from Division Four to Division Two.

Then, working as a PE teacher at the same school as two Margate footballers, he moved in the summer of 1967 to non-league Margate, where he was immediately made club captain.

He was in the Margate side that defeated Yeovil in the FA Cup first round in December 1967 and the local press commented, ‘he gives and asks for no quarter’. In a move that had been prearranged before he joined Margate, he joined Detroit Cougars, managed by a former Millwall colleague Len Julians, in the North American Professional League in January 1968. He played 27 games for the Cougars.

He returned briefly to league football with Crystal Palace when he signed for the club in February 1969 but he played just one League game and made four substitute appearances for the club. After finishing with league football he played for non-league clubs Brentwood Town, 1969-70, and Chelmsford City, 1970-71, after they merged with Brentwood.

After football he continued to work as a PE teacher and also ran a petrol station with Len Julians in Meopham, north west Kent.

He died on 14 August 2023, at the age of 88 and sincere condolences for this dedicated professional and very well liked and popular player go to his family and friends.

Gerry Wolstenholme

 

[Born tangerine]

What a lovely man, a super footballer, we were lucky to have you at our club.
They don't make footballers like you today, the mould was broken a long time ago.
RIP Seasider