Brownsword began his career at Boothferry Pit before moving to the Iron in July 1947. At the time, United were still in the Midland League before being admitted to the Football League in 1950.
He made his Football League debut in Scunthorpe's first ever league game, a 0-0 draw at home to Shrewsbury Town, and went on to be an ever present that season, a feat he achieved on five more occasions in his 18 year playing career at the Old Showground.
He holds the club's appearance record of 597 league games. The full-back helped United to the Second Division before just missing out on a place in the Frst Dvision in 1962.
He finally retired as a player in 1965 but his association with United did not end there. He stayed at the Old Showground as the club's trainer, a role similar of a coach/physio nowadays.
Brownsword died, aged 86, in his home at Burton-upon-Stather in December 2009.