After retiring to become assistant to long-term mentor Sam Allardyce in 1996, the 65-year-old spent over a decade in the Premier League, first as a coach at Bolton then as the manager of Hull.
His CV includes a Championship promotion with the Tigers, another from League Two at Southend, spells at Preston and Swindon, plus two years in the Indian Super League at the helm of Hyderabad.
With the exception of international management, Brown has achieved everything that could reasonably be expected and is hardly strapped for cash. So what’s the appeal of regional football?
“I just love the game,” insists the Tynesider, who is assisted at Aggborough by Neil McDonald, another Allardyce acolyte who has spent almost three decades in backroom roles.
“At the end of the day, football doesn’t change. You’re trying to pit your wits against another manager. It’s eleven versus eleven. What does the level matter?
“It’s funny because the first match I ever watched live was South Shields. Newcastle brought a reserve side to Simonside Hall and my dad took me down.
“I’ll never forget a Scottish midfielder called Tommy Gibb. He sat on the ball in front of me, right in the centre of midfield. Showboating, I suppose. I was thinking ‘What’s going on here?’. The only player I’ve ever seen do that since was Peter Beardsley in training at Bolton.
“Now I’m managing in the same division as South Shields, so talk about things coming full circle.
“Do we want to be at this level? Of course not. But we accept it. We’re realistic. We understand that the game plays its cards and sometimes you’re on the wrong end of a hand. But we’ve also been on the right end of it, and we’ve seen what can happen when you apply yourself.
“That’s what we’re aiming for this year. We don’t believe that our careers are anywhere near over. We want to put ourselves back on the map by getting promoted.”
Denne historien er fra July 07, 2024-utgaven av The Non-League Football Paper.
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Denne historien er fra July 07, 2024-utgaven av The Non-League Football Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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I'M READY FOR A NEW PROJECT
LEAGUE One, League Two, National League John Coleman doesn't care. He just wants to manage a club with scope for 'doing an Accrington'.
BEARNE'S DOUBLE IS A PITMEN TRIUMPH
HEDNESFORD Town marched on as this tie was settled in the first 21 minutes with a glut of goals in favour of the Pitmen.
STAG-DO SPOILED BY LIAM DOUBLE
AFC Totton and Basingstoke played out an entertaining draw at The Snows Stadium.
FOALLE'S THERE AT DEATH TO STEA IT!
A GOAL with almost the last kick of the game from Jack Foalle saw Ashton's unbeaten start to the season go up in smoke at Hurst Cross after they had hit the post in each half.
TUDORS STAY TOP THANKS TO AJAYI!
HEMEL HEMPSTEAD TOWN secured a crucial victory over Slough Town that solidifies their position at the top of National League South.
MOLS ON ROLL AS NASH GO SECOND!
CURZON ASHTON moved up to second place after doing a job on former boss Adam Lakeland and his King's Lynn Town side at the Walks.
REAL DEAL HEED KEEP PILING ON THE POINTS
GATESHEAD scored early in each half to strengthen their position at the top of the table after they stretched their unbeaten start to the season to seven games.
JOSH JOY DELIGHTS DAGGERS BOSS BEN
JOSH UMERAH marked his first league start for Dagenham & Redbridge by grabbing the goal that ensured a share of the spoils at Maidenhead.
DOGGED DALE WILL NOT BE MOVED!
ROCHDALE cruised to victory with a superb first-half performance which settled the age-old debate as Dale's immovable defensive object blunted Aldershot's previously irresistible attacking force.
SPITFIRES BACK IN THE GROOVE
EASTLEIGH bounced back from their last-gasp defeat at Gateshead last weekend as they edged past lowly Tamworth in a lackluster affair at the Silverlake.