Mark Brown (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Mark Brown is a Scottish
professional footballer, currently playing for Scottish Premier League
side Hibernian
. Brown, a goalkeeper has played for both Old Firm
clubs, Rangers
and Celtic
. Hibs is Brown's sixth Scottish Premier League
club, having also played for Motherwell
, Inverness CT and Kilmarnock
. Brown has also represented Scotland B
twice.
, where he made just five first team appearances as a young player, before moving on to Motherwell
. Brown made 19 appearances with Motherwell before the club's financial difficulties forced them into administration; Brown was one of 19 players released by the club in order to lessen its wage bill.
in the summer of 2002 after impressing then-manager Steve Paterson, and quickly became an indispensable member of the first team squad. Brown has also played international football for Scotland under-21s
.
After joining Inverness, Brown's reputation as a talented goalkeeper grew, helped by his performances for the club in the Scottish First Division, the Scottish Cup
and the SPL
. The highlights of his career include a Player of the Round award from Scottish Cup sponsors Tennent's in March 2003, after his performance in goal helped Inverness to a quarter-final win against Celtic
.
accepted an undisclosed "six figure" transfer fee from Celtic
for the goalkeeper's services in January, rather than risk him leaving on a free transfer at the end of the season. The player joins the list of players to have crossed the Old Firm
divide and play for both teams. Brown largely served Celtic as a back-up to Artur Boruc
, making only 13 league appearances for the club. The signings of Dominic Cervi
and Lukasz Zaluska
pushed Brown down Celtic's selection order.
expressed interest in signing Brown during the summer of 2009, but Celtic rejected this approach as they wanted a transfer fee for his services. Brown was then loaned instead to fellow SPL
side Kilmarnock
in September 2009, until January 2010. Kilmarnock required cover for the injured Alan Combe
; Brown played in 14 league matches for the Ayrshire side.
released Brown in January 2010, which allowed him to sign for Hibernian
. Brown will compete with Graeme Smith and Graham Stack for the Hibernian goalkeeping position, an area which manager
John Hughes said had caused him "concern". Brown did not play for Hibs during the rest of the 2009–10 season, partly due to injury. He had to wait until a 3–0 defeat by Rangers
on 22 August to make his debut for Hibs, 204 days after he signed for the club.
Brown kept his place in the Hibs team until January 2011, when new manager Colin Calderwood
decided to give opportunities to his other goalkeepers under a rotation policy.
, where he played part of the second half in a friendly against Austria
in April 2005 and the first half against Turkey in March 2006.
Celtic
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
professional footballer, currently playing for Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
side Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
. Brown, a goalkeeper has played for both Old Firm
Old Firm
The Old Firm is a common collective name for the association football clubs Celtic and Rangers, both based in Glasgow, Scotland.The origin of the term is unclear. One theory has it that the expression derives from Celtic's first game in 1888, which was played against Rangers. However, author,...
clubs, Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
and 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...
. Hibs is Brown's sixth Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
club, having also played for Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
, Inverness CT and Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock F.C.
Kilmarnock Football Club is a Scottish football team based in the town of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Founded in 1869, "Killie" is the oldest club currently in the Scottish Premier League. Home matches are played at Rugby Park...
. Brown has also represented Scotland B
Scotland B national football team
The Scotland B national football team, controlled by the Scottish Football Association, is a secondary football team of Scotland, run occasionally as support for the Scotland national football team as a second string side to the first team....
twice.
Early career
Brown, a goalkeeper, started his career with RangersRangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
, where he made just five first team appearances as a young player, before moving on to Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
. Brown made 19 appearances with Motherwell before the club's financial difficulties forced them into administration; Brown was one of 19 players released by the club in order to lessen its wage bill.
Inverness CT
Brown earned a contract with Inverness CTInverness Caledonian Thistle F.C.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club are a Scottish football club from Inverness who compete in the Scottish Premier League. They are currently managed by Terry Butcher and assistant manager Maurice Malpas...
in the summer of 2002 after impressing then-manager Steve Paterson, and quickly became an indispensable member of the first team squad. Brown has also played international football for Scotland under-21s
Scotland national under-21 football team
The Scotland national under-21 football team, controlled by the Scottish Football Association, is Scotland's national under 21 football team and is considered to be a feeder team for the Scotland national football team....
.
After joining Inverness, Brown's reputation as a talented goalkeeper grew, helped by his performances for the club in the Scottish First Division, the Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
and the SPL
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
. The highlights of his career include a Player of the Round award from Scottish Cup sponsors Tennent's in March 2003, after his performance in goal helped Inverness to a quarter-final win against 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...
.
Celtic
With Brown's contract due to expire in the summer of 2007, Caley ThistleInverness Caledonian Thistle F.C.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club are a Scottish football club from Inverness who compete in the Scottish Premier League. They are currently managed by Terry Butcher and assistant manager Maurice Malpas...
accepted an undisclosed "six figure" transfer fee from 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...
for the goalkeeper's services in January, rather than risk him leaving on a free transfer at the end of the season. The player joins the list of players to have crossed the Old Firm
Old Firm
The Old Firm is a common collective name for the association football clubs Celtic and Rangers, both based in Glasgow, Scotland.The origin of the term is unclear. One theory has it that the expression derives from Celtic's first game in 1888, which was played against Rangers. However, author,...
divide and play for both teams. Brown largely served Celtic as a back-up to Artur Boruc
Artur Boruc
Artur Boruc is a Polish footballer who plays for Serie A club Fiorentina as a goalkeeper. On 20 October 2008, Boruc was one of 55 players shortlisted for the FIFPro World XI Player Awards.-Pogoń Siedlce:...
, making only 13 league appearances for the club. The signings of Dominic Cervi
Dominic Cervi
Dominic Cervi is an American soccer player who currently plays as a goalkeeper for Scottish Football League First Division club Greenock Morton on loan from Scottish Premier League side Celtic.-Personal life:...
and Lukasz Zaluska
Lukasz Zaluska
Łukasz Załuska is a Polish footballer who plays for Scottish club Celtic in the Scottish Premier League as a goalkeeper.-In Poland:Born in Wysokie Mazowieckie, Załuska began his career in 1997 with Ruch Wysokie Mazowieckie but left within a few months to join MSP Szamotuły. After a year, he moved...
pushed Brown down Celtic's selection order.
Kilmarnock
HibernianHibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
expressed interest in signing Brown during the summer of 2009, but Celtic rejected this approach as they wanted a transfer fee for his services. Brown was then loaned instead to fellow SPL
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
side Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock F.C.
Kilmarnock Football Club is a Scottish football team based in the town of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Founded in 1869, "Killie" is the oldest club currently in the Scottish Premier League. Home matches are played at Rugby Park...
in September 2009, until January 2010. Kilmarnock required cover for the injured Alan Combe
Alan Combe
Alan Combe is a Scottish professional football goalkeeper.Born in Edinburgh, Combe played for Cowdenbeath, St. Mirren, Dundee United, Bradford City and Kilmarnock. Combe was Kilmarnock's regular goalkeeper until he suffered a serious hip injury early in the 2009–10 season...
; Brown played in 14 league matches for the Ayrshire side.
Hibernian
CelticCeltic 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...
released Brown in January 2010, which allowed him to sign for Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
. Brown will compete with Graeme Smith and Graham Stack for the Hibernian goalkeeping position, an area which manager
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...
John Hughes said had caused him "concern". Brown did not play for Hibs during the rest of the 2009–10 season, partly due to injury. He had to wait until a 3–0 defeat by Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
on 22 August to make his debut for Hibs, 204 days after he signed for the club.
Brown kept his place in the Hibs team until January 2011, when new manager Colin Calderwood
Colin Calderwood
Colin Calderwood is a Scottish football player and coach. In November 2011 he was appointed as Chris Hughton's assistant manager at Birmingham City....
decided to give opportunities to his other goalkeepers under a rotation policy.
International career
Brown's impressive form for Inverness Caledonian Thistle earned him a call-up to the Scotland "B" squadScotland B national football team
The Scotland B national football team, controlled by the Scottish Football Association, is a secondary football team of Scotland, run occasionally as support for the Scotland national football team as a second string side to the first team....
, where he played part of the second half in a friendly against Austria
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
in April 2005 and the first half against Turkey in March 2006.
Honours
Inverness CT- Scottish First Division: 2003–04
- Scottish Challenge Cup: 2003–04
Celtic
- Scottish League CupScottish League CupThe Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
: 2008–09