John “Jock” Brown

John Brown was born in Troon. A goalkeeper, he had played whilst at school with the Troon Higher Grade team. After leaving education however he struggled to find a team to join, so decided to start his own, Troon Corinthians, of which he was chairman, secretary, treasurer, trainer, and goalkeeper. The team played in the Juvenile league.

In time he joined Glenburn Rovers, before provisionally signing for Clyde in March 1934 as a 19 year old.

He soon settled in to the team. In 1937 Brentford had become aware of his skills, and put in a tentative offer to take him down south. Although the deal wasn’t concluded, Brown let it be known that he would like to “sample English football.” Two years later an offer to join Arsenal arose, but came to nothing due to the start of WW2.

In his time with Clyde, Jock, was part of the team, in 1939, which won the Scottish Cup.

By November 1942, John was on-loan with Hamilton Academicals, after enlisting with the Royal Navy, when the opportunity of a permanent transfer to Hibernian came his way. Due to the cessation of football during the war years Brown “guested” with St Mirren, Airdrieonians & Gillingham.

After the war ended John was part of the Hibs 1946-47 Scottish League Championship team.

George Anderson signed Brown for Dundee in January 1948. He made fourteen appearances for the Dark Blues. He was getting towards the end of his footballing career by this time.

He made his debut on the 10^th January, in a home match against his former club Clyde, which Dundee won 7-0. Jock had a good game, it was reported that “His kicking of the dead ball earned admiration. Every one with the wind went over the half-way line, and from one of these great kicks Juliussen burst through to score.”

At the start of the 1949-50 season Jock was transferred to Kilmarnock, where as well as playing he became a trainer. By the end of the season he had retired from playing, and became the physio as well as trainer. He stayed with Killie until 1956.

John gained a full international cap for Scotland, when he was selected to play in a British Home Championship match against Wales, in 1938, in a 3-2 win. He was also selected for Scotland Juniors in 1935, Scottish League XI in 1938, and represented Scotland in a wartime international in 1940.

A keen golfer, retirement gave him more time to pursue the sport.

In later life John swapped the round ball for the oval one, when he became physio for the Scotland rugby team. He assisted them against the All Blacks in 1967, the first person to have that role, and continued in the post until the 1980’s.

Both of his sons, Peter and Gordon, went on to play rugby union for Scotland.

John died, aged 90, in Prestwick, on 30^th August 2005.