James Brown (footballer, born 1987)

James Peter Brown (born 3 January 1987) is a retired English footballer who played as a winger.

James Brown
Brown playing for Hartlepool United in 2007
Personal information
Full name James Peter Brown[1]
Date of birth (1987-01-03) 3 January 1987[1]
Place of birth Cramlington, England
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[1]
Position(s) Striker / Winger
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2012 Hartlepool United 175 (29)
2012–2014 Gateshead 70 (9)
2014–2016 Whitby Town 46 (5)
Total 291 (43)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Brown started out as a striker for Football League side Hartlepool United but started playing on the wing during the club's promotion season in 2006–07. Brown also spent two seasons in the National League for Gateshead. Brown's career was ravaged by injuries and he retired from professional football aged 27,[2] following this he played part-time for Northern Premier League side Whitby Town for two seasons.

Career

Hartlepool United

Born in Cramlington, Northumberland,[1] Brown joined Hartlepool's youth set-up from Cramlington Juniors football Club. He had joined too late to go through the Youth Scholarship system and was subsequently offered a temporary deal. He was part of the successful Hartlepool under 19s side that won the Dallas Cup XXV in 2004. James Brown was included on the substitutes bench for Hartlepool's match against AFC Bournemouth on the last day of the 2004–05 season. He was expected to play a part in the Hartlepool's 2005–06 campaign and participated regularly during pre-season. However, during pre-season, Brown ruptured his cruciate ligament against Hibernian and missed the majority of the subsequent season.

On 6 May 2006, Brown made his comeback from injury by making his debut for the club, coming off the bench to score in the 1–1 draw with Port Vale at Victoria Park. The game was bittersweet for Brown as Hartlepool's failure to win saw them relegated to League Two. James's finishing earned him his first professional contract with the club in 2006. During the 2006–07 campaign, he played nearly all of Hartlepool's games on the right wing as the club won promotion back to League One.

In August 2008, Brown signed a new long-term contract with Hartlepool.[3] It was reported on 27 August 2008 that Celtic were interested in signing Brown after he was scouted by manager Gordon Strachan during Hartlepool's 3-1 League Cup win against Premier League side West Brom.[4][5] The Daily Record reported that Tottenham Hotspur, Norwich City and Wolverhampton Wanderers were also monitoring Brown's progress.

Brown was released by Hartlepool on 10 May 2012. His time at Hartlepool was plagued by injuries which included two cruciate ligament injuries, an ankle injury and a persistent knee problem.[6]

Gateshead

Brown signed for Conference Premier side Gateshead on 6 June 2012.[7] His debut was delayed due to requiring surgery on a double hernia.[8] He eventually made his Gateshead debut on 6 October 2012 as a second-half substitute in a 1–1 draw against Hyde.[9] He made his first start for Gateshead three days later in a 2–2 draw with Macclesfield Town.[10] Brown scored his first goal for Gateshead on 22 February 2013 in the return game against Macclesfield Town.[11] He made his 50th appearance for Gateshead on 11 January 2014, scoring in a 2–1 win over Nuneaton Town.[12]

Aged 27, Brown retired from professional football in November 2014 due to a persistent knee injury.[13] Gateshead manager Gary Mills said of Brown's retirement: "I’m gutted for the player and the club and me as a manager that a player like him has left. It got the stage where enough was enough. We had a good session last Thursday and he was the best player – sticking the ball in the net, scoring goals you wouldn’t believe. On the Friday I’m thinking of him playing Saturday and he was unable to train because of his ankle. He would not be at Gateshead if it wasn’t for his injuries. With his desire to be a footballer and suffer those injuries is a shame. It’s a sad thing, but he is 27 and probably going on 47. I wish him all the best and hopefully enjoy his football."

Following this, Brown played part-time for Whitby Town.

Jeff Stelling of Sky Sports, a Hartlepool fan, has been known to exclaim "I feel good!" when Brown scores for Hartlepool, a reference to the more famous James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)". Brown's goals on the opening day of the 2008/09 season against Colchester United led to Jeff Stelling revealing a James Brown singing and dancing doll toy with bobbing head singing "I feel good".[14] In Stelling's book "Jelleyman's Thrown a Wobbly", Stelling reveals that a fan of the show had waited for 3 hours outside hospital which he was visiting for charity to present with the doll to be used whenever James Brown scored.

Personal life

Following his retirement from professional football, Brown started working as a driving instructor.[15]

Career statistics

Club
As of 11 October 2014[16][17][18][19][20]
Club Season League[A] FA Cup League Cup Other[B] Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Hartlepool United2004–050000000000
2005–064100000041
2006–07366212020427
2007–0835102120224113
2008–09186213110248
2009–10324001000334
2010–11261212110313
2011–12241000010251
Total 17529841027220037
Gateshead2012–13294100010314
2013–14325000000325
2014–159000000090
Total 709100010729
Career totals 24538941028227246
A. ^ The "League" column constitutes appearances and goals in The Football League and Football Conference.
B. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the FA Trophy, Football League Trophy and play-offs.

Honours

Club

Hartlepool United

References
  1. Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2010). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11. Mainstream Publishing. p. 62. ISBN 978-1-84596-601-0.
  2. "Brown forced to quit the professional game".
  3. "Hartlepool United – News – Latest – Latest – Star Brown Pledges Future To Pools". world.hartlepoolunited.co.uk. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  4. "Celtic target £3m Hartlepool hitman James Brown". 27 August 2008.
  5. [news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/7576370.stm]
  6. "Hartlepool to tread warily with Brown".
  7. "Gateshead clinch first summer signing". Gateshead FC. 6 June 2012. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  8. "Ryan Donaldson eases big James Brown blow". Evening Chronicle. 24 August 2012. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  9. "Hyde 1–1 Gateshead". Gateshead FC. 7 October 2012. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  10. "Gateshead 2–2 Macclesfield Town". Gateshead FC. 10 October 2012. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
  11. "Macclesfield Town 0–4 Gateshead". Gateshead FC. 23 February 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2013. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  12. "Gateshead 2–1 Nuneaton Town". BBC Sport. 11 January 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  13. "Brown forced to quit the professional game".
  14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYSqRGWCP68&NR=1 Video of Jeff Stelling with James Brown singing doll
  15. "Brown forced to quit the professional game".
  16. "James Brown Career Stats". Soccerbase. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
  17. "James Brown". In The Mad Crowd. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
  18. "Walsall vs Hartlepool". Hartlepool United F.C. 3 May 2008. Archived from the original on 20 May 2008. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
  19. "Alfreton Town 2–0 Gateshead". Gateshead F.C. 21 October 2012. Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  20. "Cambridge United 0–1 Gateshead". Gateshead F.C. 16 December 2012. Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
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