Tony Brown (English footballer)

Tony (Bomber) Brown

Statue of Tony Brown at The Hawthorns
Personal information
Full name	Anthony Brown
Date of birth	(1945-10-03) 3 October 1945 (age 71)
Place of birth	Oldham, Lancashire, England
Playing position	Wing half, Inside forward
Youth career
1961–1963	West Bromwich Albion
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1963–1980	West Bromwich Albion	574	(218)
1980	New England Tea Men	31	(8)
1981	Jacksonville Tea Men	32	(9)
1981	West Bromwich Albion	0	(0)
1981–1983	Torquay United	45	(11)
1983	Stafford Rangers	10	(3)
Total		692	(249)
National team
1971	England	1	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Anthony 'Tony' Brown (born 3 October 1945 in Oldham, Lancashire) is an English former footballer who played as a wing half and an inside forward. He was often referred to by his nickname Bomber or Bomber Brown and was known for his spectacular goals. He joined West Bromwich Albion as a youth in 1961 and turned professional in 1963. In the late 1960s and early 1970s Brown was part of an Albion team that built a reputation as a successful cup side, winning the 1966 Football League Cup Final and the 1968 FA Cup Final and finishing as runners-up in the League Cup in 1967 and 1970. He was the top scorer in Division One in 1970–71 and received his only England cap at the end of that season.

After relegation in 1973, he helped Albion to win promotion back to Division One in 1976. He scored 279 goals in 720 competitive games for Albion, both club records. Brown finished his playing career playing for the New England Tea Men, Torquay United and non-league Stafford Rangers. Since retiring from playing he has worked as a coach and a commentator.

One of three siblings, Brown moved at an early age from his birthplace Oldham to Wythenshawe, Manchester. He was a keen Manchester United supporter as a boy, but his football idol was the then Manchester City striker Denis Law, who later signed for United just as Brown was beginning his own career as a footballer. Brown represented the South Manchester Boys team, before progressing to play for Manchester Boys and then the Lancashire County team. He suffered from asthma from three months old until the age of fourteen, but nonetheless had ambitions to play football. As he later said, "I'd always wanted to be a professional footballer; that's all I'd ever dreamed of doing." As a 15-year-old, he had agreed to sign for Manchester City when West Bromwich Albion's Manchester-based scout John Shaw persuaded Brown to take a trial at Albion. Brown responded by scoring a hat-trick in a practice match and some years later reflected: