The younger brother of the renowned John Brittleton, the Sheffield Wednesday and England forward, Sam was employed as a salt laborer before becoming a footballer. Having alternated between the non-league game in his native Cheshire and the Football League with Stockport and Preston, his performances during a non-league season with Chorley led to a close-season competition for his services between Manchester City, newly-relegated to the Football League’s Second Division, and Southern League Saints.  

Southampton got their man but, while this did City no harm – they immediately won their division – it did the Saints little good: Brittleton was in and out of the side at inside-left, contributing only four goals. He returned to non-league football in Lancashire at the end of that 1909-10 season but took a while to secure a free transfer from the Southern League. His Football League days were over – Accrington would not be admitted until 1921 – although he turned out for his regiment during the First World War. In 1939 he was a laborer testing lifting materials.