Every footballer’s story starts somewhere, and for Robert Snodgrass, it began in the rough-and-tumble backstreets of Glasgow’s Gallowgate — a part of town where football wasn’t just a game, it was a lifeline. Born on 7 September 1987, Snodgrass grew up with a ball at his feet and a dream in his heart, the sort that burns brightest in boys who have more ambition than opportunity.
PART ONE
He kicked his first ball in earnest for a Rangers-affiliated boys’ club, sharing the pitch with another East End lad destined for stardom, James McArthur. Yet while some kids looked towards Celtic or Rangers as the ultimate dream, Snodgrass saw something different.
He had trials with both Celtic and Clyde, but his gut — that sharp Glaswegian instinct — told him that he’d never get a fair crack at Parkhead. So, he chose Livingston, a club more modest in name but generous in opportunity. That decision, as fate would have it, set him on the winding, glorious, and sometimes painful path that became his footballing life.
At Livingston, Snodgrass came through the ranks with another lad from the East End — Graham Dorrans — and together they began lighting up the youth teams with a swagger that belied their years. By 2004, Snodgrass had made his senior debut, and soon after, his talent was unmistakable.
During the 2005–06 season, he began cementing his place in the first team, scoring crucial goals and making defenders look daft with that trademark shuffle and left-footed whip. But football, as it often does, gave with one hand and took with the other. Livingston were relegated that season, dropping from the Scottish Premier League to the First Division.
Still, Snodgrass’s star was rising. He scored 10 goals in the 2007–08 campaign, showing the kind of flair and confidence that drew admiring glances from scouts across Britain. Offers came — most notably from Blackburn Rovers — but Snodgrass stayed put, loyal to the club that had given him his start.
In fact, he famously turned down a trial with Barcelona — yes, that Barcelona — saying later that he didn’t want to be a novelty act for one week in Spain; he wanted a career, not a cameo. That kind of grounded confidence summed him up.
After 79 league appearances and 15 goals for Livingston, plus a short loan at Stirling Albion in early 2007 to regain fitness after a broken metatarsal, it was time for a bigger challenge.
PART TWO
In July 2008, Leeds United came calling, and Snodgrass packed his boots for Yorkshire. The kid from the Gallowgate was off to England — and ready to make noise.
When Snodgrass walked through the doors at Elland Road in the summer of 2008, Leeds were not the powerhouse of old. The club was clawing its way back from the wilderness of League One, but in Snodgrass, they found the spark to ignite belief.
He made his debut on 9 August 2008 in a 2–1 win over Scunthorpe United, setting up Enoch Showunmi’s header for the opener. His first goal came just days later in the League Cup, during a 5–2 win over Chester City, where his left foot announced itself to the Leeds faithful.
Snodgrass took time to settle, but once he did, he was irresistible. In November and December of that season, he went on a hot streak — four goals in seven games — his curling efforts and slaloming runs becoming a highlight even during Leeds’ inconsistent form. Despite his brilliance, the club fell short in the playoffs, losing 2–1 on aggregate to Millwall.
Still, his first season’s numbers spoke volumes: 11 goals and 19 assists. For a winger in League One, those were stellar.
Snodgrass’s influence only grew. In August 2009, he signed a new four-year deal, a sign that he was central to Leeds’ long-term plans. Early goals in the League Cup against Watford set the tone, but it was his league form that caught the eye.
He struck vital goals — including a late winner in a 1–0 victory over MK Dons — and was named in the PFA League One Team of the Year in May 2010. Leeds finished second, earning promotion to the Championship. Snodgrass’s tally of 10 goals and 14 assists had been vital.
The club was on the up, and so was he.
The 2010–11 season began with a scare. A pre-season friendly against Brann in Norway ended with Snodgrass suffering a knee injury after a brutal challenge by David Nielsen. Leeds fans feared the worst, but the Scot’s resilience shone through. He returned by September and quickly found form.
He scored a fine goal in a 2–1 win over Ipswich Town in October and followed it up with long-range efforts against Coventry City and Leicester City. His curling left foot became a weapon, the kind that made opposition goalkeepers mutter under their breath.
A back injury curtailed the end of his season, but not before he had rattled in crucial goals against Cardiff City (a 2–1 loss, though Snodgrass’s goal was a beauty from range) and Hull City (a 1–1 draw where he struck from distance again).
By now, the Championship knew all about him — a relentless winger who could score, create, and scrap.
The 2011–12 campaign saw Snodgrass become not just Leeds’ talisman but also their leader. After manager Simon Grayson was replaced by Neil Warnock, Snodgrass was handed the captain’s armband in February 2012.
He didn’t disappoint. His goal from a free kick against Hull City in August 2011 had set the tone early, and by the end of the season, he’d bagged 13 goals and 14 assists, finishing second only to Southampton’s Adam Lallana in creative output.
Warnock wanted to build a team around him and even offered him the biggest contract in the club’s history. But Snodgrass wanted Premier League football. He’d done all he could at Leeds, and in July 2012, he signed for Norwich City for an undisclosed fee.
The Yorkshire chapter closed — but the Premier League door had just opened.
PART THREE
Snodgrass made his Norwich debut on 18 August 2012, a day he’d probably rather forget as City were battered 5–0 by Fulham at Craven Cottage. But class tells, and Snodgrass soon turned things around.
Just two weeks later, on 1 September, he scored his first Premier League goal — an equaliser in a 1–1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane. In November, he curled a beautiful free kick into the net against Southampton for another 1–1 draw.
Norwich finished 11th that season, a fine achievement for the Canaries, and Snodgrass finished second in the club’s Player of the Year vote behind Sébastien Bassong.
The following season, he was even more influential. His free kick in a 3–1 win over West Ham United on 9 November 2013 was textbook Snodgrass — a 20-yard whip into the bottom corner. And when Norwich beat Tottenham 1–0 on 23 February 2014, it was Snodgrass who delivered the killer blow, coolly slotting past Hugo Lloris.
Yet football’s pendulum swung cruelly again — Norwich were relegated at the end of the 2013–14 season, despite Snodgrass’s seven goals and tireless effort.
The Premier League wasn’t done with him, though. Hull City came calling.
When Hull signed Snodgrass on 30 June 2014, manager Steve Bruce hailed him as a “Premier League-quality creator.” Sadly, the debut turned into disaster.
In his first league appearance for Hull — a 1–0 win over QPR at Loftus Road on 16 August 2014 — Snodgrass dislocated his kneecap. Surgery followed, and the prognosis was grim. He would miss the entire 2014–15 season.
Hull were relegated in his absence, and some wondered if Snodgrass would ever be the same again. But those who knew him — really knew him — knew that giving up wasn’t in his blood.
After 15 months out, he returned in December 2015, first in a U21 match, then for the first team in a League Cup tie against Manchester City on 1 December 2015, coming off the bench in a 4–1 defeat.
A month later, he scored on his full comeback — a penalty in a 1–0 FA Cup win over Brighton & Hove Albion on 9 January 2016. It was a cathartic moment. The knee had held up; the player was back.
He became instrumental in Hull’s push for promotion that season. His craft and experience helped them win the 2016 Championship Playoff Final, beating Sheffield Wednesday 1–0 at Wembley.
Back in the Premier League for 2016–17, Snodgrass was Hull’s standout performer, scoring a hat-trick of free kicks across the campaign and winning them crucial points before a January move loomed once more.
On 27 January 2017, Snodgrass signed for West Ham United for £10.2 million. It should have been the next great chapter, but in truth, it never quite caught fire.
He made his debut in a 4-0 defeat to Manchester City on 1 February, and though he worked tirelessly, he couldn’t find his spark. By summer, new manager Slaven Bilić had told him he could leave.
Rather than sulk, Snodgrass did what he always did — he rolled up his sleeves and got on with it. He joined Aston Villa on loan for the 2017–18 season, where, under Steve Bruce, he rediscovered himself.
At Villa, Snodgrass was sensational. He scored his first goal for the club on 26 September 2017, in a 4–0 win over Burton Albion, and by season’s end, he had seven goals and 14 assists — the joint-most assists in the Championship, level with Barry Douglas of Wolves.
He played a key role in Villa’s playoff push, featuring in both semi-final legs against Middlesbrough and starting the Playoff Final at Wembley against Fulham on 26 May 2018. Villa lost 1–0, but Snodgrass left with his reputation restored.
Back at West Ham, Snodgrass refused to be a spare part. On 26 September 2018, he finally scored his first goals for the club — two of them — in an 8–0 win over Macclesfield Town in the EFL Cup.
He became a regular under Manuel Pellegrini, playing a key role in the 2018–19 campaign. But controversy followed him in March 2019, when he was fined £30,000 and banned for one match for allegedly using abusive language towards anti-doping officials.
Still, he carried on, signing a new contract in July 2019 that extended his stay until 2021. But by January 2021, both he and the club felt it was time for a change. He signed for West Bromwich Albion.
Snodgrass joined West Brom on 8 January 2021, making his debut in a 3–2 derby win at Wolves on 16 January. Ironically, he missed the next game against West Ham due to a “gentleman’s agreement” between clubs — an agreement so eyebrow-raising that the Premier League launched an investigation.
His appearances dwindled, and by January 2022, he left by mutual consent.
In February 2022, he joined Luton Town on a short-term deal, helping them in their promotion push, before being released that summer.
Then came one last dance — back in Scotland.
On 6 September 2022, Snodgrass signed for Heart of Midlothian, making his debut days later. He played until April 2023, when new manager Steven Naismith decided to freshen things up. Snodgrass left quietly, head held high.
On 16 January 2024, he announced his retirement.
PART FOUR
If his club career was colourful, his international one was pure Scottish grit.
Snodgrass played for Scotland’s U19s, U20s, and U21s, even reaching the 2006 U19 European Championship final in Poland — though he was suspended for the final. He also featured in the 2007 U20 World Cup in Canada, where his flair caught Barcelona’s eye.
He made his full senior debut on 9 February 2011 against Northern Ireland in the Nations Cup, then scored his first international goal against Denmark on 10 August 2011, a curling beauty in a 2–1 win.
Arguably his finest night in a Scotland shirt came on 7 June 2013, when he scored the winner in a 1–0 victory over Croatia in Zagreb — Croatia’s first home competitive defeat in five years.
After missing the Euro 2016 qualifiers due to that Hull injury, he returned in 2016, and on 4 September 2016, scored a hat-trick in a 5–1 win over Malta in World Cup qualifying.
He played his final game for Scotland in October 2019, retiring with 28 caps and seven goals.