Avondale FC have today confirmed their move for injury-prone midfielder James Brown, who joins from Melbourne City, having been released at the end of the 2015-16 A-League season.
The 26-year-old began his professional career at the Queensland Institute of Sport, before making the move south to join the Australian Institute of Sport set-up.
Brown is no stranger to the Victorian top-flight, Brown made 22 senior appearances in the 2007 VPL season under the guidance of senior manager Steve O’Connor before entering the A-League system in 2008 with Gold Coast United.
Heralded as one of the league’s brightest prospects, Brown represented Australia at U17, U20 and U23 level, and making over 80 appearances in the nation’s top-flight.
He made his debut under Miron Bleiberg in 2008, and appeared nine times in his inaugural season as an 18-year-old.
Brown broke his fibula in a training ground incident which saw the start to his 2009 season delayed, but he rallied to make 12 appearances and score two goals on his return to the park.
He strung together a promising 2010-11 season in Gold Coast’s ultimate season, scoring six times in 17 appearances before making a move to Newcastle Jets, where he spent two injury ridden seasons, tallying 27 appearances, with just eight starts to his name.
He was given a lifeline by Melbourne City to help resurrect his career in 2014, but was unable to re-capture the form that his potential could have offered, as injuries curtailed his stint in Victoria.
The move is a big coup for Avondale FC, where he joins former City teammates Massimo Murdocca, Jonatan Germano, Baki Efe and Nick Symeoy.
Capable of playing on the win in a front three, or as a central midfielder, Brown offers plenty of versatility and creativity for an Avondale side that’s aiming to shoot up the NPL Victoria ladder.
Fitness permitting, Brown will be available to feature this weekend as his new side host cellar-dwellers Richmond SC, able to bypass the NPL registration window due to last featuring for an A-League side.
Image: Avondale FC