Colin Niven

Colin Niven (6 September 1903 – 1 December 1968)[1] was an Australian rules footballer who played for Fitzroy and Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Colin Niven
Personal information
Full name Colin Leslie Niven
Date of birth 6 September 1903
Place of birth Bealiba, Victoria
Date of death 1 December 1968(1968-12-01) (aged 65)
Place of death Cowes, Victoria
Original team(s) Maryborough
Height 183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 90 kg (198 lb)
Position(s) Follower
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1929–1932 Fitzroy 059 (16)
1933–1935 Melbourne 044 (13)
Total 103 (29)
Coaching career
Years Club Games (W–L–D)
1930–1931 Fitzroy 36 (11–25–0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1935.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Family

The son of Colin Niven (1870-1938),[2][3] and Ida Bell Niven (1875-1947), née Lewis,[4][5] Colin Leslie Niven was born at Bealiba, Victoria on 6 September 1903.

His cousin once removed, Gordon Jones, also played for Melbourne.

He married Ada Dorothy Smith in 1934.

Footballer

Niven, a follower, played in the Ballarat Football League prior to joining Fitzroy. He captain-coached Fitzroy in 1930 and 1931 before crossing to Melbourne, which he captained in 1934 and 1935. His brother Ray, who played beside Colin in 1931, later reunited with him at Melbourne where they again appeared together in the same side.

After six months out of the game, Niven was appointed playing coach of Donald in 1936 and he led the team to premierships in 1936, 1937 and 1939 before retiring as a player.[6]

Military service

Niven later served in the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II.[7]

Death

He died at Cowes, Victoria on 1 December 1968.[8]

Footnotes
  1. "Colin Niven - Player Bio". Australian Football. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  2. Deaths: Niven, The Argus, (Friday, 1 July 1938), p.12.
  3. Bealiba, The Age, (Tuesday, 5 July, 1938), p.12.
  4. Marriage: Niven—Lewis, The Weekly Times, (Saturday, 18 December 1897), p.18.
  5. Deaths: Niven, The Argus, (Thursday, 6 February 1947), p.2.
  6. "Played Senior Football For 23 Years". Weekly Times. No. 3674. Victoria, Australia. 18 November 1939. p. 56.
  7. "World War II Roll: Colin Niven". Department of Veterans Affairs.
  8. Deaths: Niven, The Age, (Monday, 2 December 1968), p.18.

References
  • Holmesby, Russell and Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers. 7th ed. Melbourne: Bas Publishing.
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