Transfer News

Curtin confirms Union to acquire Jamaican striker Brian Brown

Photo: Paul Rudderow

Philadelphia Union interim head coach Jim Curtin has confirmed the club will acquire Jamaican striker Brian Brown.

“There’s still some paperwork that needs to finish up, but he’s going to be with us going forward,” Curtin told MLSsoccer.com. “He’s a player that we’re excited about.”

According to the report, Brown, who has been training with the Union this week, could officially be on the Union roster in time for Saturday’s game against Colorado.

Brown, the 2013-14 National Premier League Golden Boot winner with 18 goals in 30 regular season appearances, and two additional goals in the post season, joins the Union from Harbour View FC.

News of Brown’s impending arrival first came through an announcement on the Harbour View FC website on Monday, July 7 that said he had left the Jamaica that day “to complete all final arrangements” for a loan to the Union through the end of the season.

Union connections abound in Brown’s arrival. Rookie goalkeeper Andre Blake played for Harbour View FC as a youth. Brown is represented by Damani Ralph of Global Premier Management, Ltd. Ralph was a teammate of Curtin at Chicago Fire in 2003-4.

Brown previously played for Montego Bay United, where he scored 3 goals in 17 appearances in 2012-13. In the beginning of 2012, he joined Aston Villa on a three-week trial. With him at Aston Villa on trial was fellow Jamaican Deshorn Brown (no relation), who played for Union PDL affiliate Reading United in 2012 before being drafted by Colorado Rapids in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft.

The striker has one appearance with the senior Jamaican national team, playing 19 minutes in the 1-0 loss to Trinidad & Tobago on Nov. 15, 2013.

Speaking to the Jamaican Gleaner in December, Brown said “it is my job to score,” adding, “When I score, it gives the team a chance to win, and that is my purpose in the team.”

In an interview with the Jamaica Observer in February about his national team aspirations, Brown said, “My strength is my speed, my first touch, shots on goal, and I think my weakest point is heading the ball so I will be working hard to improve that and bring myself up to or even beyond the level of players who do it well.

“I am one of those players who always try to execute in games what I practice in training,” Brown said. “I must say that sometimes I surprise myself with what I do in matches.”

In an interview on the CONCACAF website, Brown said, “I would be comfortable playing there (in the United States) as players from all over the world are playing there,” adding, “The league is getting better and stronger. It’s like the first place for a lot of Jamaican players to stop before they move on to Europe.”

An earlier announcement on the Harbour View website on July 2 indicated that Brown had been on a week-long trial with the Union in June. The report said Brown “went to impress, scoring goals consistently in training sessions and interacting with players and members of the football club.”

Impress he did. Curtin told MLSsoccer.com that, during Brown’s trial with the Union, “The alarm bells went off pretty quickly,” adding, “You could tell he was pretty special around the goal.”

Here’s a highlight reel of Brown’s goals with Harbour View in 2013-14:

18 Comments

  1. hmm…

  2. Welcome!
    Would love to see him in pinstripes this weekend

  3. Wow some impressive goals in there!

  4. I really hope he works out and there seems to be some legit excitement for him. But it seems every midseason trade window we pick up a Damani Richards or someone like that and they are never seen again….

  5. The Black Hand says:

    YES!!!!! We got Brian Brown!!!
    .
    Who in the hell is Brian Brown?

    • He is a young talented Jamaican, you will see more of him very soon!

      • The Black Hand says:

        My comment was with tongue-in-cheek. I think that Brown is a speedy, young player with a knack for finishing. Exactly what we need. I’m all for this loan. Hopefully, he can adjust to MLS play and provide us with a much needed presence up top.

  6. A speedy forward who can score?

    Yea!

  7. John O'Donnell says:

    Oh my God, I think I’m staring to like Jim Curtin. He keeps doing things that seem so, duh why don’t you do this Hack? Getting players in position to play to their strength seems to be a no-brainer. Would love to see Rambo score a few goals for the U, I can just imagine the Cheers. If Valdes comes back, that might help us make the playoffs, as we play all but two teams in the East the rest of the way.

  8. kingkowboys says:

    Are there any details about the deal? Is it a loan for the remainder of the 2014 season as his Jamaican club stated? Are there options to buy if we choose?
    .
    I like this move. I think this is low risk and an opportunity to get a good look at raw talent. He’ll need to see game minutes though and really he needs to see some starts in order to assess his impact.

    • My understanding is that MLS has a standing policy that all loan deals must have an option to buy. So I’m assuming this loan has that too.

  9. Not quite the striker I thought the Union were looking to bring in. Good young talent. I am wishing him much success.
    Orlando signs KaKa, NYCFC signs Villa. I may be beating a dead horse, but I want the Union to be bold with their moves however, I have some concerns. Will they be able to hang onto Edu, Noguiera, and Maidana? No homegrown players named to the Homegrown Game in Portland? I hope that the new manager will be able to finally get this organization competing at the top level in MLS, while bringing in top talent and developing homegrown and academy players who will be game changers on the parent team. I would still like to see stronger primary ownership(comcast?) and a partnership with another organization from a top league similar to NYCFC and Manchester City. Firing Hackworth was a start but I for one would like the see a change in the philosophy and practices of this entire organization even a restructuring. How that happens I don’t know. It could start with someone making a sacrifice and stepping aside for the good of the franchise. I want the Union to be a premiere organization worthy of this top market which is the 4th largest media and sports market in the country and 2nd on the east coast. I’m sorry for another long post. I just want the best for our Union and get frustrated when it appears to be run like a 2nd rate outpost and an after thought in MLS.
    Welcome and best of luck Brian Brown.

  10. Not a bad move. Say what you will as to why we have a need at striker, but this is a kid who seems to have the potential to fill a hole. Based on his profile, I imagine if he had gone through the draft, he would have been a first round pick.

    Then again, I heard the same thing said about Cristian Hernandez, and he hasn’t come good yet.

  11. Who knows..maybe this kid will be a pleasant surprise..at least some moves are being made and he seems hungry. If he views the MLS as the next step toward progressing to Europe, he may work hard to get noticed which will only benefit our squad. Best of luck to him and welcome!

  12. As long as brian brown settles he will do well hopefully the union benefit when he comes good

  13. Maybe he can replace Cruz. If he can’t than jettison the season and bring on the young guns to see what they can do for philly sake.

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