Des Tennant
{{short description|Welsh footballer}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name = Des Tennant
|image =
|caption =
|fullname = Desmond Warren Tennant
|birth_date = {{birth date|1925|10|17|df=y}}
|birth_place = Aberdare, Wales
|death_date = {{death date and age|2009|1|12|1925|10|17|df=y}}
|death_place = Wales
|height = {{height|ft=5|in=8}}
|position = Right back
|youthyears1 = –
|youthclubs1 = Cardiff City
|years1 = 1947–1948 |clubs1 = Barry |caps1 = 31 |goals1 = 4
|years2 = 1948–1959 |clubs2 = Brighton & Hove Albion |caps2 = 400 |goals2 = 40
}}
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.{{cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/brighton/brighton.html |title=Brighton & Hove Albion: 1946/47–2008/09 |work=UK A–Z Transfers |publisher=Neil Brown |accessdate=25 November 2011}}
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,{{cite web |url=https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/barrytownunited/documents/86557 |format=XLS |title=Barry AFC 1947–48 |publisher=Barry Town United A.F.C. |accessdate=7 June 2019}} Tennant joined Brighton & Hove Albion,{{cite news |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sports/grassroots/cynon-valley-sport/2009/01/29/football-brighton-legend-des-tennant-dies-91466-22787861/ |title=Football: Brighton legend Des Tennant dies |first=Gary |last=Marsh |newspaper=Cynon Valley Leader |date=29 January 2009 |accessdate=7 June 2019}} making his Football League debut in the 1948–49 season. Although primarily a right back, he played in a variety of positions,{{cite web |url=http://www.seagulls.co.uk/page/Latest/0,,10433~1523337,00.html |title=Minute's applause for legend Des |first=Paul |last=Camillin |publisher=Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. |date=17 January 2009 |accessdate=25 November 2011}} and was the club's top scorer in his first season with 11 goals in all competitions.Carder & Harris, Albion A–Z, p. 338 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.{{cite book |first1=Tim |last1=Carder |first2=Roger |last2=Harris |title=Albion A–Z: A Who's Who of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. |date=1997 |publisher=Goldstone Books |location=Hove |pages=237–238 |isbn=0-9521337-1-7}} By the time he retired in 1959, having lost his place to Tommy Bisset,{{cite web |url=http://www.seagulls.co.uk/club/view/past_players/0,,10433~22357,00.html |title=Des Tennant |publisher=Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20020810104121/http://www.seagulls.co.uk/club/view/past_players/0%2C%2C10433~22357%2C00.html |archivedate=10 August 2002}} 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.
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.
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tennant, Des}}
Category:Footballers from Aberdare
Category:Welsh men's footballers
Category:Men's association football fullbacks
Category:Wales men's youth international footballers
Category:Cardiff City F.C. players
Category:Barry Town United F.C. players
Category:Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. players
Category:Southern Football League players
Category:English Football League players
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