Colin Niven

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 career^1
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
Fitzroy captain: 1930–1931 Melbourne captain: 1934–1935
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

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).

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 with Maryborough in the Ballarat Football League and won their 1927 best and fairest award,^[6] 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 in the North Central Football League before retiring as a player.^[7]

Military service

Niven later served in the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II.^[8]

Death

He died at Cowes, Victoria on 1 December 1968.^[9]

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. "1927 - What Country People Are Doing". The Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne, Vic). 18 November 2024. p. 41. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
7. "Played Senior Football For 23 Years". Weekly Times. No. 3674. Victoria, Australia. 18 November 1939. p. 56.
8. "World War II Nominal Roll: Corporal Colin Niven (59843)". Department of Veterans' Affairs.
9. 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.

External links

• Colin Niven's playing statistics from AFL Tables
• Colin Niven at AustralianFootball.com
• Colin Niven, at Demonwiki.
• Colin Niven, at Boyles Football Photos.