Before they were Rovers: Chris Brown

Welcome to the blog, once again we will be looking where a current player applied their trade before signing for Doncaster. I previously wrote about Mark Duffy, an article which has been read and liked by Mark and has become the most read article on the blog, you can read it by clicking here the link will open an new window, allowing you to keep reading this one.


This time we take a look at super striker, Chris Brown.

Last December the current Rovers number 9 turned 29, and he had a good career before coming to the Keepmoat.
Many people don't realize Chris is actually a local lad and was born in Doncaster. However Chris spent his youth career at the team he supports, Sunderland where he built up a reputation for scoring goals. Chris was looking so promising that at the age of 15, he was included in Sunderland's u19 team. Unfortunately his progress came to a halt when damaging his crucial ligament in a reserves game during 2002.

He then missed the whole 2002/2003 season, a season which saw Sunderland's first team relegated from the Premiership. This helped his playing career, with him making a full recovery he earned his place in the first team, it was during this season, Chris was loaned to his hometown team, Doncaster Rovers (03/04). He became popular with the fans at Belle Vue scoring 10 goals in 23 games, helping the club win the Division Three.

Chris then returned to his parent club and was a feature in the first team during the 2004-2005 season making a total of 37 appearances, many of which coming of the bench, he scored 7 goals in this campaign.
Chris was then loaned out again in 2005 to Hull City after manager Mick McCarthy believed Chris needed to gain more experience, Hull had finished second behind Doncaster the season he played for Rovers. He played 13 games for Hull scoring just 1 goal after a difficult loan spell.

He returned to Sunderland in what was a disastrous season seeing them relegated from the Premiership which just three wins and 15 points. Chris was injured for most of this season but returned in March and scored in their final home game of the season against Fulham.

The next season with new Sunderland manager, Roy Keane, Chris featured often in the team scoring 3 goals in 16 games before a January move to Norwich for 325,000 in 2007.

His start to his stay at Norwich was hit by being suspended after receiving two yellows in his first start and picking up an injury to his hamstring. It took him 20 appearances to score his first and only goal for the club.

On January 2008 he moved to Preston for 400,000 where he became a regular and even won the man of the match award on his debut, something that was by far a better start then he had at Norwich. He went on to play 108 games at the Deepdale club scoring 18 goals, often the 6ft 3 striker would play upfront with Jon Parkin, 'the beast' who would later play for Rovers.

With his contract expired in July 2011 he returned to his hometown club, and has since become popular with his fans, many credit Brown not for his goalscoring but for his work rate. He played an important part in the season that saw Rovers win the League 1 and earn promotion back into the Championship and has since being a key player when not injured.

Now aged 29 he has won the Divison 3 in 2004 with Rovers, Championship with Sunderland 2005 and 2007 and League 1 with Rovers 2013. And when Chris decides to hang the boots up, i'm sure he could go on to a good career in media, especially commentary.


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