Full name Bernard John Newcombe Name Len Newcombe Died Swansea, United Kingdom | Place of death Swansea, Wales | |
Date of birth (1931-02-28)28 February 1931 Date of death August 1996 (aged 64–65) | ||
Bernard John "Len" Newcombe (28 February 1931 – March 1996) was a Welsh professional football outside forward who appeared in the Football League for Brentford and Fulham. He later returned to Fulham as a scout.
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Fulham
Newcombe was spotted playing youth football in Wales by former Fulham goalkeeper Ossie Evans, who recommended the young winger to his former club. Newcombe joined the Division Two club in 1947. By the time Newcombe made his professional debut in a 1–0 defeat to Burnley on the final day of the 1950–51 season, the Cottagers were in Division One. He was always on the fringes of the first team at Craven Cottage and left the club in 1956, having made 23 appearances and scored three goals.
Margate (loan)
Newcombe joined high-flying Kent League Division One side Margate on loan in January 1948. He made just one appearance before returning to Fulham.
Brentford
Newcombe signed for Division Three South side Brentford in 1956, appearing in the final three games of the 1955–56 season. He established himself in the team in the 1956–57 season, making 46 appearances and he was a regular again the following year. Newcombe's professional career was effectively ended by a broken collarbone suffered in a match versus Torquay United in April 1958. Brentford were forced to play the rest of the match with 10 men and the resulting 1–0 defeat saw the Bees finish as runners-up in the Division Three South and miss out on promotion to Division Two. Newcombe made just one appearance during the 1958–59 season and departed the club at the end of the campaign. He made 89 appearances and scored eight goals during three years at Griffin Park.
Non-league football
Newcombe closed out his career with spells at Southern League sides Guildford City and Sittingbourne.