Kevin Bremner
Encyclopedia
Kevin Johnston Bremner is a Scottish former professional footballer who played as a striker. He made nearly 450 appearances in the English
and Scottish Football League
s, representing ten different clubs.
, now in Aberdeenshire
, Bremner began his senior career as an 18-year-old with home-town club Deveronvale
of the Highland League
. In the 1978–79 season
he was part of the team which defeated Huntly
to win the Bell's Cup. He finished the season as leading scorer with 27 goals and won the club's player of the year award. Celtic
manager Billy McNeill
had invited him for a two-week trial, but no contract offer ensued and Bremner left Deveronvale for fellow Highland League club Keith
.
In October 1980 he moved to England to join Colchester United
of the Third Division
for a fee of £40,000; that season Colchester were relegated
to the Fourth Division
. Bremner played more than 100 matches for the club in all competitions, and during the 1982–83 season
he spent short periods on loan at Birmingham City
, Wrexham and Plymouth Argyle
, scoring a goal for each. In February 1983 he joined Millwall
for £25,000. His first goal for the club gave him the distinction of having played and scored in the Football League for five different clubs in the same season.
Bremner played more than 100 games in all competitions for Millwall, helping them to promotion
to the Second Division
as Third Division runners-up. At the beginning of the 1984–85 season
he joined Reading
; as the clubs were unable to agree on a transfer fee, the Football League tribunal valued his services at £35,000. In his second season at the club, he contributed to Reading winning the Third Division title, before joining Brighton & Hove Albion
, where for the third time in four seasons he played his part in his club gaining promotion from the Third Division. He finished the season as the club's leading scorer, with 12 goals in all competitions.
He spent a season at Peterborough United
before returning to Scotland where he signed for Dundee
, contributing to their Scottish First Division
title in 1991–92
. A short spell on loan at Shrewsbury Town
preceded his first foray into management, as player-manager of Highland League club Brora Rangers
. He then rejoined Deveronvale as player-manager for one season, in which he was leading goalscorer with 17 goals and managed them to victory in the Aberdeenshire Shield.
Bremner returned to England to take up a coaching role at Gillingham
, where he became youth team manager, but was made redundant in April 2003 along with other staff as a cost-cutting measure. He made one playing appearance for the club in 1995 in a Football League Trophy
match.
His older brother Des
was also a professional footballer.
with Millwall
with Reading
with Brighton & Hove Albion
with Dundee
with Deveronvale as manager
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
and Scottish Football League
Scottish Football League
The Scottish Football League is a league of football teams in Scotland, comprising theScottish First Division, Scottish Second Division and Scottish Third Division. From the league's foundation in 1890 until the breakaway Scottish Premier League was formed in 1998, the Scottish Football League...
s, representing ten different clubs.
Football career
Born in BanffBanff, Aberdeenshire
Banff is a town in the Banff and Buchan area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Banff is situated on Banff Bay and faces the town of Macduff across the estuary of the River Deveron...
, now in Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
, Bremner began his senior career as an 18-year-old with home-town club Deveronvale
Deveronvale F.C.
Deveronvale F.C. are senior football club currently playing the Highland Football League in Scotland. They were founded in 1938 and play their football at the Princess Royal Park in the town of Banff, , Scotland. The club was formed in 1938 when Deveron Valley and Banff Rovers joined together...
of the Highland League
Highland Football League
The Press & Journal Highland Football League is a league of football clubs operating not just in the Scottish Highlands, as the name may suggest, but also in the north-east lowlands...
. In the 1978–79 season
1978-79 in Scottish football
The 1978-1979 season was the 82nd season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish Premier Division:Champions: Celtic Relegated: Hearts, Motherwell-Scottish League Division One:Promoted: Dundee, Kilmarnock...
he was part of the team which defeated Huntly
Huntly F.C.
Huntly F.C. are a senior football club currently playing in the Highland League in Scotland.They were founded in 1928 and play their football at Christie Park, Huntly....
to win the Bell's Cup. He finished the season as leading scorer with 27 goals and won the club's player of the year award. Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
manager Billy McNeill
Billy McNeill
William "Billy" McNeill MBE is a former Scottish footballer and manager. He is best known for captaining Celtic to the European Cup triumph in 1967 and he later went on to manage the club. He is now the official Club Ambassador at Celtic....
had invited him for a two-week trial, but no contract offer ensued and Bremner left Deveronvale for fellow Highland League club Keith
Keith F.C.
Keith F.C. are a senior football club who currently play in the Highland League in Scotland.They were founded in 1910 and play at Kynoch Park which is at the east end of the town..Keith are the football team of Keith in Banffshire, north-east Scotland...
.
In October 1980 he moved to England to join Colchester United
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
of the Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
for a fee of £40,000; that season Colchester were relegated
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
to the Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
. Bremner played more than 100 matches for the club in all competitions, and during the 1982–83 season
1982-83 in English football
The 1982–83 season was the 103rd season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Bob Paisley's last season as Liverpool manager ended on a high as they topped the First Division with a comfortable lead. Bob Paisley retired as Liverpool manager with a record 21 prizes in nine years. His...
he spent short periods on loan at Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, Wrexham and Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
, scoring a goal for each. In February 1983 he joined Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
for £25,000. His first goal for the club gave him the distinction of having played and scored in the Football League for five different clubs in the same season.
Bremner played more than 100 games in all competitions for Millwall, helping them to promotion
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
to the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
as Third Division runners-up. At the beginning of the 1984–85 season
1984-85 in English football
The 1984–85 season was the 105th season of competitive football in England.-Bradford City disaster:56 spectators died and more than 200 were injured when a fire ripped through the Main Stand at Valley Parade during Bradford City's Third Division fixture with Lincoln City on 11 May...
he joined Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
; as the clubs were unable to agree on a transfer fee, the Football League tribunal valued his services at £35,000. In his second season at the club, he contributed to Reading winning the Third Division title, before joining Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
, where for the third time in four seasons he played his part in his club gaining promotion from the Third Division. He finished the season as the club's leading scorer, with 12 goals in all competitions.
He spent a season at Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
before returning to Scotland where he signed for Dundee
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
, contributing to their Scottish First Division
Scottish Football League First Division
The Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Championship is the highest division of the Scottish Football League and the second highest in the Scottish football league system....
title in 1991–92
1991-92 in Scottish football
The 1991–92 season was the 95th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish Premier Division:Champions: RangersRelegated: St...
. A short spell on loan at Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
preceded his first foray into management, as player-manager of Highland League club Brora Rangers
Brora Rangers F.C.
Brora Rangers are a non-professional senior football club from the village of Brora, Sutherland, currently playing in Scotland's Highland Football League....
. He then rejoined Deveronvale as player-manager for one season, in which he was leading goalscorer with 17 goals and managed them to victory in the Aberdeenshire Shield.
Bremner returned to England to take up a coaching role at Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
, where he became youth team manager, but was made redundant in April 2003 along with other staff as a cost-cutting measure. He made one playing appearance for the club in 1995 in a Football League Trophy
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
match.
His older brother Des
Des Bremner
Desmond George Bremner is a Scottish former professional football midfielder. He made more than 600 league appearances for clubs in both Scotland and England, was a member of Aston Villa's European Cup-winning team of 1982, and was capped for the Scotland national team.Born in Aberchirder,...
was also a professional footballer.
Honours
with Deveronvale as player- Bell's Cup winners: 1978–79
- Player of the Year: 1978–79
- Club's leading scorer: 1978–79, 1994–95
- Aberdeenshire Shield winners: 1995
with Millwall
- Third DivisionFootball League Third DivisionThe Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
runners-up: 1984–851984-85 in English footballThe 1984–85 season was the 105th season of competitive football in England.-Bradford City disaster:56 spectators died and more than 200 were injured when a fire ripped through the Main Stand at Valley Parade during Bradford City's Third Division fixture with Lincoln City on 11 May...
with Reading
- Third DivisionFootball League Third DivisionThe Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
champions: 1985–861985-86 in English footballThe 1985–86 season was the 106th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :The championship crown went to Liverpool for the 16th time in their history at the end of their first season under the management of Kenny Dalglish, but they had to fight off some very stiff competition to...
with Brighton & Hove Albion
- Third DivisionFootball League Third DivisionThe Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
runners-up: 1987–881987-88 in English footballThe 1987–88 season was the 120th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Liverpool won the league title with a comfortable nine-point margin and just two defeats all season....
with Dundee
- Scottish First DivisionScottish Football League First DivisionThe Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Championship is the highest division of the Scottish Football League and the second highest in the Scottish football league system....
champions: 1991–921991-92 in Scottish footballThe 1991–92 season was the 95th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish Premier Division:Champions: RangersRelegated: St...
with Deveronvale as manager
- Aberdeenshire Shield winners: 1995