Chris Brass
Encyclopedia
Christopher Paul "Chris" Brass (born 24 July 1975) is an English former footballer and manager
. He is currently assistant manager
at Scunthorpe United
.
, County Durham
, Brass began his career as a schoolboy at Ipswich Town
before progressing through the youth system
at Burnley
as a trainee, where he turned professional on 8 July 1993.
In 1994, Brass captained the Burnley A team as it won the Lancashire
League. In need of first team experience, he joined Torquay United
on loan in October 1994, playing seven league games in a two month loan spell.
Brass returned to Burnley, making his debut for them as a substitute in a 1–0 defeat away to Portsmouth
, in January 1995. The following season he again struggled to claim a regular place, but in the 1996–97 season established himself in the centre of the Burnley defence, and remained there for the next three seasons, though occasionally played out of position by manager Chris Waddle
.
By March 1998, such was the turmoil that the Clarets found themselves in, Brass was their longest serving player, and still only 22 years old. In that summer, Stan Ternent
replaced Waddle, and made Brass captain, but the latter struggled to keep his form and found himself in the reserves. In the summer of 1999, Burnley signed Mitchell Thomas
, resulting in Brass playing only occasionally for the first team. He went on a one-month loan to Halifax Town
in September 2000, with the first of his six league games being a win against Torquay. After the loan was up, Halifax could not afford to sign him and he returned to the Burnley reserves, before joining York City
on a free transfer in March 2001. He had played 134 league games for Burnley, scoring once.
Brass was immediately installed as captain at York and on 4 June 2003, aged only 27, was appointed as York's player-manager. Although his first season in charge began well, York failed to win any of their final 20 league games and were relegated to the Football Conference
. Results were not much better in the Conference and Brass was sacked as manager in November 2004. He remained at York as a player and, after suffering a serious ligament
injury, joined Harrogate Town
on loan in September 2005 in an attempt to regain match-fitness. He finished the loan with 11 appearances. He joined Southport
on a one-month loan in November 2005, which was extended for another month in January 2006. He returned to York in January after making five apparances and on 12 January was released by the club after a settlement was reached over the remainder of his contract.
He joined League Two
club Bury
on a contract until the end of the 2005–06 season on 17 January. He scored a notable own goal, when attempting an overhead clearance in the game against Darlington
, kicking the ball into his nose and subsequently the net. Brass nearly received a broken nose to add to the humiliation. This incident was voted the number one incident in magazine FourFourTwo
's "It shouldn't happen to a footballer". He signed a new one-year contract with Bury in June 2006, being released at the end of the 2006-07
season, but was asked to return to pre-season training to prove his fitness before a decision could be made on his future.
He was appointed as Bury's Centre of Excellence manager on 6 July 2007, before combining this role with playing for Hyde United
after signing in July 2007 following a successful trial. He became Bury's caretaker manager
on 15 January 2008, following the sacking of Chris Casper
. He left Hyde having made 62 appearances after being appointed assistant manager to Alan Knill
at Bury on 22 January 2009. When Knill was appointed Scunthorpe United
manager on 31 March 2011, Brass followed him as assistant manager.
in his hometown Burnley in June 2000. He is currently studying for a degree in Physiotherapy at the University of Salford
.
Manager (association football)
In association football, a manager is responsible for running a football club or a national team. The manager of a professional club is responsible directly to the club president. The position of manager is almost exclusively used in British football...
. He is currently assistant manager
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
at Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
.
Career
Born in EasingtonEasington, County Durham
Easington is a town in eastern County Durham, England. It comprises the ancient village of Easington Village and the ex-mining town of Easington Colliery, which are separate civil parishes. It is located at the junction of the A182 leading north-west to Hetton-le-Hole. Seaham Harbour and...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, Brass began his career as a schoolboy at Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
before progressing through the youth system
Youth system
Youth system is a sporting terminology used to refer to a youth investment program within a particular team or league, which develops and nurtures young talent in farm teams, with the vision of using them in the first team if they show enough promise, and to fill up squads numbers in some teams...
at Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
as a trainee, where he turned professional on 8 July 1993.
In 1994, Brass captained the Burnley A team as it won the Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
League. In need of first team experience, he joined Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
on loan in October 1994, playing seven league games in a two month loan spell.
Brass returned to Burnley, making his debut for them as a substitute in a 1–0 defeat away to Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
, in January 1995. The following season he again struggled to claim a regular place, but in the 1996–97 season established himself in the centre of the Burnley defence, and remained there for the next three seasons, though occasionally played out of position by manager Chris Waddle
Chris Waddle
Christopher Roland "Chris" Waddle is a former footballer from England. He played for a number of clubs in the 1980s and 90s, including Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Sheffield Wednesday in England, and Olympique de Marseille in France...
.
By March 1998, such was the turmoil that the Clarets found themselves in, Brass was their longest serving player, and still only 22 years old. In that summer, Stan Ternent
Stan Ternent
Francis Stanley "Stan" Ternent is an English former footballer and manager. He managed Blackpool, Hull City, Bury, Burnley, Gillingham and Huddersfield Town. He is currently a scout for Sunderland.-Career:...
replaced Waddle, and made Brass captain, but the latter struggled to keep his form and found himself in the reserves. In the summer of 1999, Burnley signed Mitchell Thomas
Mitchell Thomas
Mitchell Thomas is a retired English football defender. Whilst at Tottenham Hotspur he started in the 1987 FA Cup Final.-Playing career:...
, resulting in Brass playing only occasionally for the first team. He went on a one-month loan to Halifax Town
Halifax Town A.F.C.
Halifax Town Association Football Club were an English football team who most recently played in the Conference National, although prior to that they participated in the Football League for over eighty years...
in September 2000, with the first of his six league games being a win against Torquay. After the loan was up, Halifax could not afford to sign him and he returned to the Burnley reserves, before joining York City
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
on a free transfer in March 2001. He had played 134 league games for Burnley, scoring once.
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
. Results were not much better in the Conference and Brass was sacked as manager in November 2004. He remained at York as a player and, after suffering a serious ligament
Ligament
In anatomy, the term ligament is used to denote any of three types of structures. Most commonly, it refers to fibrous tissue that connects bones to other bones and is also known as articular ligament, articular larua, fibrous ligament, or true ligament.Ligament can also refer to:* Peritoneal...
injury, joined Harrogate Town
Harrogate Town F.C.
Harrogate Town Football Club is an English semi-professional football club based in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. The club was founded in 1914 and currently competes in the Conference North division of the Football Conference.-History:...
on loan in September 2005 in an attempt to regain match-fitness. He finished the loan with 11 appearances. He joined Southport
Southport F.C.
Southport Football Club are an English football club, based in Southport, Merseyside. They are currently in the Conference National, and play their home matches at Haig Avenue, which has a capacity of 6,008...
on a one-month loan in November 2005, which was extended for another month in January 2006. He returned to York in January after making five apparances and on 12 January was released by the club after a settlement was reached over the remainder of his contract.
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
club Bury
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
on a contract until the end of the 2005–06 season on 17 January. He scored a notable own goal, when attempting an overhead clearance in the game against Darlington
Darlington F.C.
Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003...
, kicking the ball into his nose and subsequently the net. Brass nearly received a broken nose to add to the humiliation. This incident was voted the number one incident in magazine FourFourTwo
FourFourTwo
FourFourTwo is a football magazine published by Haymarket. Published monthly, costing £4.50, and at about 164 pages long, it published its 200th edition in February 2011...
's "It shouldn't happen to a footballer". He signed a new one-year contract with Bury in June 2006, being released at the end of the 2006-07
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
season, but was asked to return to pre-season training to prove his fitness before a decision could be made on his future.
He was appointed as Bury's Centre of Excellence manager on 6 July 2007, before combining this role with playing for Hyde United
Hyde F.C.
Hyde F.C. are an English semi-professional football club from Hyde, Greater Manchester, who are nicknamed The Tigers. Formed in 1885 the club changed its name to Hyde United in 1919, before reverting to Hyde F.C. in June 2010...
after signing in July 2007 following a successful trial. He became Bury's caretaker manager
Caretaker manager
In association football, a caretaker manager is someone who takes temporary charge of the management of a football club, usually when the regular manager is dismissed or leaves for a different club. However, a caretaker may also be appointed if the regular manager is ill or unable to attend to his...
on 15 January 2008, following the sacking of Chris Casper
Chris Casper
Christopher Martin "Chris" Casper is an English former footballer and football manager who played in the Premier League for Manchester United and in the Football League for A.F.C. Bournemouth, Swindon Town and Reading...
. He left Hyde having made 62 appearances after being appointed assistant manager to Alan Knill
Alan Knill
Alan Richard Knill is a former Wales international footballer who played as a central defender. He is presently manager of League One side Scunthorpe United.-Playing career:...
at Bury on 22 January 2009. When Knill was appointed Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
manager on 31 March 2011, Brass followed him as assistant manager.
Personal life
He marriedMarriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
in his hometown Burnley in June 2000. He is currently studying for a degree in Physiotherapy at the University of Salford
University of Salford
The University of Salford is a campus university based in Salford, Greater Manchester, England with approximately 20,000 registered students. The main campus is about west of Manchester city centre, on the A6, opposite the former home of the physicist, James Prescott Joule and the Working Class...
.
Managerial statistics
| Team | Nation | From | York City York City F.C. York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions... | 4 June 2003 | 8 November 2004 | 67 | 14 | 18 | 35 | 20.9 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bury Bury F.C. Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the... (caretaker) |
15 January 2008 | 5 February 2008 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 71 | 14 | 19 | 38 | 19.7 | |||||||