David Brown celebrates scoring for his hometown club Tadcaster during the 10-0 win at Armthorpe – the night they had 200 fans watching. Picture: Ian Parker
David Brown left Tadcaster Albion as an eight-year-old after a glory-laden season. Now he’s aiming to continue that winning mentality by adding the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division title to his collection after returning to his hometown club.
Striker Brown joined Paul Marshall’s promotion-chasing Brewers over a month ago – 17 years after playing for the club as a junior.
Brown, 25, played for Taddy as an eight-year-old before signing for Leeds United where he played until his scholarship contract came to an end.
He has won the NCEL Premier Division title with Scarborough Athletic in 2013, but Brown admits winning the trophy with Tadcaster would have extra meaning.
“Our team was really good and we were winning all the leagues around,” Brown said looking back at his days as a Tadcaster junior player.
“We went from the Harrogate league to the York league and won that and then went back to the Harrogate league.
“There’s a bit of a 15-year gap and it sounds daft, but it would be nice to carry on from where I left off.
“I won it with Scarborough, but to win it with Tadcaster would be special and sentimental. It would mean a lot to help get Tadcaster promoted.”
David Brown as an eight-year-old as a Tadcaster Albion junior at Ings Lane
The landscape at Tadcaster has changed remarkably since Brown’s days as a junior footballer.
Owners i2i Sports have performed miracles in turning their Ings Lane into one of the best grounds in the league.
The pitch has had substantial funding pumped into it and Brown said: “They had interest in the summer and obviously I was keen to come back.
“I’m from Tadcaster and I know a lot of the lads who are here. I have won this league before with a lot of the lads who are here.
“My best mate (Brendan Ormsby) is here so it was a good deal to come back.
“The transformation here has been unbelievable. If you had said to me ten years ago that Tadcaster Albion would go to Armthorpe on a Tuesday night with 200 fans, I would have just laughed at you.
“Another thing is that off-the-field, the foundations are all set and it is clear to see that club is going places.”
David Brown admits he has had too many clubs – here in action for Albion Sports
David Brown was used an impact player at Ossett Albion. Pictured here with Albion assistant manager Eric Gilchrist
Brown does admit that his football career has not gone to plan.
Bad luck has followed him around and exits from three clubs have been because of ownership issues – namely Leeds United, Eastwood Town and Garforth Town.
He has also not had the game-time at clubs having been used as an “impact player” because of his pace.
Looking back at his career so far, Brown said: “I was unfortunate at Leeds as my scholarship finished as Leeds went into administration and everyone out of contract had to leave.
“I scored 46 goals in my two year scholarship and I had to leave which was a bit gutting because I had been there since I was six or seven.
“I went to Bradford City with Stuart McCall and scored on my debut, but I was unlucky as Stuart McCall left.
“I found myself in Non League. I have flitted about here and there, but I want to settle down and I don’t want to be going from club to club as I’m 25 now.
“I’ve been at too many clubs. Maybe I have been at clubs where I have just been used as impact player.
“At Ossett Albion I was always on the bench, but I was their top goalscorer so I couldn’t figure it out.
“That’s happened at a few places. The stats are there, I have scored everywhere I have been.”
There have been goals at Tadcaster too – two since his return from Ossett Albion- and he will be hoping to add to that tally at Worksop Town tomorrow.