Former Celtic, Hibernian, Motherwell and East Fife defender Alan ‘Snoopy’ Sneddon began his professional footballing career in the same year when Abba was topping the charts with Knowing Me, Knowing You, disco music was being strangled to death by punks, and Queen Elizabeth II was touring the country and Commonwealth while celebrating her Silver Jubilee.
It was 1977 when a 20-year-old Baillieston born longhaired hopeful had impressed Jock Stein to hand him his professional and Celtic debut.
During a three-year period and nearly a century of Celtic appearances the Hibs boss at the time, Willie Ormond had contacted Jock in 1980 to see whether they were prepared to sell ‘Snoopy.’ In January 1981 new Hibs boss Bertie Auld paid £60,000 to bring the talented 22-year-old to Easter Road.
Alan was a regular in Bertie’s back four, as he was during Pat Stanton and John Blackley’s tenure.
Alan, now 34 and well over 300 appearances under his belt moved in 1992 to Motherwell when Hibs boss Alex Miller told him he was no longer in his plans.
During his brief Fir Park stint, Alan finished his glittering career in 1996 at East Fife.
Testimonial
Hibs vs. Aston Villa – 14 October 1991.
HIBERNIAN — Burridge, Sneddon, Mitchell, Hunter, Orr, Dalglish, Weir, Hamilton, Wright, Evans, McGinlay. Substitutes – Fellinger, Lennon, Tweed, Reid.
ASTON VILLA — Spink, Cox, Small, Mountfield, Nielson, Richardson, Daley, Yorke, Regis, Atkinson, Mortimer. Substitutes – Cowans, Callaghan, Penrice, Froggett.
Final score
Hibs 4-2 Villa
Attendance – 6000 plus.
The last word on Alan’s excellent career comes from Testimonial sponsors Abercrombie, who paraphrased the famous Volkswagen advert: ‘If only everything was as reliable as Alan Sneddon.’
Alan’s magnificent career – courtesy of the Hibernian Historical Trust.
Present day
Now aged 60 Alan makes the odd appearance similar to this one.
