Brian Naysmith

DOB: 1st January 1970

Position: Winger

Season of first appearance: 1962/63

Season of last appearance: 1963/64

Full Appearances: 47

Substitute: 0

Goals: 6

Also played for:

Andover, Portsmouth (0), Ramsgate Athletic, Canterbury City, Dover and Gravesend & Northfleet.

Player Profile:

Well-built Portsmouth-born school teacher who started his career with Hampshire club Andover. Brian first featured in their senior side during 1955/56 and stayed at Andover until the summer of 1959 when he was signed by Portsmouth.

Brian never made Pompey's first team and in October 1960 he moved to Kent, joining Ramsgate.

Brian was considered to be the star of the Rams' side during 1960/61 but he was surprisingly released at the end of the season.

He joined Canterbury for the 1961/62 campaign and made 21 league appearances for City during the season, scoring twice.

In the summer of 1962 Brian signed for Margate and made his debut in a 1-1 draw at Cheltenham in the Southern League on 18.8.62. He went on to make 36 appearances during the 1962/63 campaign as Margate won the Southern League Division One title. Brian was generally used as a winger or midfielder and he scored four times. One of his goals was a superb solo effort in a 5-1 win over Gloucester at Hartsdown Park on 6.4.63 and Brian ran 40 yards and beat two defenders before firing home. On 13.5.63 he played as Margate beat visitors Maidstone 3-0 in the 2nd Leg of the Kent Floodlight Cup Final to claim the trophy and on 1.6.63 Brian was in the team that beat visitors Bexleyheath & Welling 1-0 in the Kent Senior Shield Final.

He made a further 11 appearances at the start of the 1963/64 campaign and scored twice, including an excellent solo effort in a 2-2 draw at Romford on 5.10.63. Brian finished a solo run by chipping former England keeper Ted Ditchburn. He was described as "a lusty worker" by the local press. On 16.11.63 Brian played as Margate drew 2-2 at Brentford in the FA Cup 1st Round and then on 20.11.63 he featured in the replay at Hartsdown Park that the Bees won 2-0. That was Brian's final outing and a few days later he left the club, moving to Dover in a straight swap for Gordon Quinn.

In February 1965 Brian joined Gravesend & Northfleet and made 16 appearances for the Fleet, scoring once, before the end of the 1964/65 season. He then left the club.

Brian later returned to his first club Andover and spent the 1967/68 season there.

He spent much of his teaching career at the Southern Grammar School for Boys in Portsmouth and was working there during his spells with Kent clubs.