Des Tennant

Desmond Warren Tennant (17 October 1925 – 12 January 2009) was a Welsh professional footballer who scored 40 goals from 400 appearances in the Football League playing for Brighton & Hove Albion.[3]

Des Tennant
Personal information
Full name Desmond Warren Tennant[1]
Date of birth (1925-10-17)17 October 1925[1]
Place of birth Aberdare, Wales
Date of death 12 January 2009(2009-01-12) (aged 83)[2]
Place of death Wales
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[1]
Position(s) Right back
Youth career
– Cardiff City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1947–1948 Barry 31 (4)
1948–1959 Brighton & Hove Albion 400 (40)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Life and career

Tennant was born in Aberdare and attended the town's Boys' Grammar School, where he played both football and rugby. He began his football career as a junior with Cardiff City, when he was capped by Wales at youth level. After making 31 appearances in the Southern League for Barry,[4] Tennant joined Brighton & Hove Albion,[2] making his Football League debut in the 1948–49 season. Although primarily a right back, he played in a variety of positions,[5] and was the club's top scorer in his first season with 11 goals in all competitions.[6] Nicknamed "The Tank", he was described as a "very important player" in the Brighton team promoted to the Second Division for the first time in 1957–58.[1] By the time he retired in 1959, having lost his place to Tommy Bisset,[7] he had played 424 matches and scored 47 goals in all competitions. He then joined the coaching staff at the club, later acting as chief scout.[5]

After leaving football he worked for the ambulance service and kept a pub before retiring to his native South Wales, where he was a mainstay of the local choir. He was married to Eileen, and the couple had three children. In later life he suffered from motor neurone disease and Parkinson's disease, and died in 2009 at the age of 83.[2]

References
  1. Carder, Tim; Harris, Roger (1997). Albion A–Z: A Who's Who of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Hove: Goldstone Books. pp. 237–238. ISBN 0-9521337-1-7.
  2. Marsh, Gary (29 January 2009). "Football: Brighton legend Des Tennant dies". Cynon Valley Leader. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  3. "Brighton & Hove Albion: 1946/47–2008/09". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
  4. "Barry AFC 1947–48" (XLS). Barry Town United A.F.C. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  5. Camillin, Paul (17 January 2009). "Minute's applause for legend Des". Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
  6. Carder & Harris, Albion A–Z, p. 338
  7. "Des Tennant". Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Archived from the original on 10 August 2002.


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