Ian Fairbrother
Encyclopedia
Ian Fairbrother is a retired English football player. He spent the majority of his career in the United States.
He spent his youth career with Manchester United
and Blackburn Rovers
, but began his professional career in 1984 with Liverpool
. He never played any games for Liverpool's first team, and moved to Bury
on a free transfer in 1986. In 1988, he moved to the United States to play for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers
in the American Soccer League
. However, he is not listed with Fort Lauderdale's first team that year. During the summer of 1989, he played for the amateur Wichita Blue
in the Heartland Soccer League. On December 14, 1989, he signed with the Wichita Wings
of the Major Indoor Soccer League
. In May 1990, he joined the Miami Freedom
in the American Professional Soccer League
. He returned to the Wings in August 1990, but lost the first two months of the MISL season after having an emergency appendectomy. He returned in December and played out the remainder of the season. In 1991, he moved to the Detroit Rockers
in the National Professional Soccer League. The Rockers won the 1991-1992 league championship. He played only five games, scoring two goals, with the Rockers during the 1992-1993 season before losing the rest of the season to tendinitis of his achiles tendon. He returned for the 1993-1994 season, scoring 23 goals in 38 games. In 1994, he moved to the expansion Detroit Neon which played summer indoor soccer in the Continental Indoor Soccer League
. Fairbrother remained with Detroit through the 1997 season. That year, the team was renamed the Detroit Safari. In August 1997, he served as the team's interim coach. In 1997 Fairbrother created a travel soccer league of his own, with his brother Colin, and friend Andy. The team was called Birmingham United F.C and still exists today in a of Detroit. Many teams are entered in the Premiere League and are extremely successsful.
He spent his youth career with Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
and Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
, but began his professional career in 1984 with Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
. He never played any games for Liverpool's first team, and moved to 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 free transfer in 1986. In 1988, he moved to the United States to play for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Fort Lauderdale Strikers (APSL)
The Fort Lauderdale Strikers were an American soccer team established in 1988 as part of the third American Soccer League. In 1990, it moved to the American Professional Soccer League where it spent five seasons before folding in 1994...
in the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
. However, he is not listed with Fort Lauderdale's first team that year. During the summer of 1989, he played for the amateur Wichita Blue
Wichita Blue
Wichita Blue, known in 1994 as Wichita Blue Angels, was an American soccer club based in Wichita, Kansas. The Blue played in several leagues including the Heartland Soccer League, Lone Star Soccer Alliance and the USISL.-History:...
in the Heartland Soccer League. On December 14, 1989, he signed with the Wichita Wings
Wichita Wings
This article is about the original team. For the current team, see Wichita Wings .The Wichita Wings were a professional indoor soccer franchise based in Wichita, Kansas. The Wings were admitted to the Major Indoor Soccer League as an expansion team on August 21, 1979...
of the Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
. In May 1990, he joined the Miami Freedom
Miami Freedom
The Miami Sharks were an inaugural franchise of the third incarnation of the American Soccer League in 1988. The team were renamed the Miami Freedom and joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the ASL merged with the Western Soccer League...
in the American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
. He returned to the Wings in August 1990, but lost the first two months of the MISL season after having an emergency appendectomy. He returned in December and played out the remainder of the season. In 1991, he moved to the Detroit Rockers
Detroit Rockers
The Detroit Rockers were an indoor soccer team in the National Professional Soccer League from 1990 to 2001. They played in Joe Louis Arena and Cobo Arena in downtown Detroit, Michigan as well as The Palace of Auburn Hills and Compuware Sports Arena in the suburbs...
in the National Professional Soccer League. The Rockers won the 1991-1992 league championship. He played only five games, scoring two goals, with the Rockers during the 1992-1993 season before losing the rest of the season to tendinitis of his achiles tendon. He returned for the 1993-1994 season, scoring 23 goals in 38 games. In 1994, he moved to the expansion Detroit Neon which played summer indoor soccer in the Continental Indoor Soccer League
Continental Indoor Soccer League
The Continental Indoor Soccer League was an indoor soccer league that played from 1993 to 1997.-History:When the Major Soccer League folded in the summer of 1992, two of its former teams joined a group of hockey and basketball arena owners led by Ron Weinstein who wanted to create a league to...
. Fairbrother remained with Detroit through the 1997 season. That year, the team was renamed the Detroit Safari. In August 1997, he served as the team's interim coach. In 1997 Fairbrother created a travel soccer league of his own, with his brother Colin, and friend Andy. The team was called Birmingham United F.C and still exists today in a of Detroit. Many teams are entered in the Premiere League and are extremely successsful.