689 Linton Brown

Biography

Pacy forward Linton Brown joined Hull City in January 1993, his first full professional contract awarded after scoring impressively for Northern Premier League side Guiseley. His pace and direct running clearly did enough to impress City manager Terry Dolan who was able to deploy several thousands of pounds raised through the club’s “Put A Tiger In Your Team” campaign to fund the acquisition and retention of Brown. The unique way that Brown’s wages were being funded perhaps put extra pressure on him to perform in what was his first full-time role in senior football, and while his willing running soon elicited the chant “Knees Up Linton Brown” on the terraces, it yielded only one goal in a March 1993 victory over Mansfield Town, a rare win in a second half of the season that saw the Tigers struggle.

Handed the centre forward’s shirt for the 1993/94 season, Brown scored an opening day winner at Barnet and quickly struck up a potent partnership with another local boy Dean Windass, who he had played with for several years at North Ferriby United and Northwood. A run of victories took the Tigers to the top of the League Division 2 table by early October 1993, Brown contributed five goals and Windass netted eleven times. A six match winless run was ended by three wins in November 1993 with Linton scoring in all three games. However from December 1993 onwards Linton’s goals dried up and he netted only once more in a February 1994 win at Brentford.

Brown kept his first team place for most of the 1994/95 season and scored four times in the opening two months of the season before a somewhat unexpected 7-1 demolition of Crewe Alexandra in late October 1994 yielded Brown his only hattrick for the Tigers. By mid-March 1995 Linton had taken his tally to thirteen goals when injury bought his season to a premature end. Restored to first team action at the start of the 1995/96 season, Brown struggled for consistency and was in and out of the first team for most of what proved to be a cataclysmically bad season for the Tigers that ended in relegation to the fourth tier. Linton’s only goal of the season came in an August 1995 win against Blackpool.

Linton James Brown, the progeny of Lynne and Tony Brown, was born and raised in Driffield and attended Driffield School before starting work with his father’s portable cabin business. Brown took an unconventional route to professional football, playing in the lower leagues for many seasons before getting his move. A junior at Beverley Town, Linton played for local sides Driffield Old Boys and Northwood – he served the latter, a Hull Sunday League club, for many years either side of his professional years. In February 1986 he returned to Beverley Town but was quickly demoted to the juniors side after failing to turn up for a first team match. He served Driffield Town for three years before signing for the reserves at Northern Counties East League side Bridlington Town in August 1989. By December 1989 he was on the fringes of the first team and was used regularly as a ‘super sub’ coming on late and disturbing tired defenders with his raw pace – a tactic that yielded several goals in the latter stages of the 1989/90 season and became a hallmark of his game throughout his subsequent career. In May 1990 Brown played in the FA Vase Final for Bridlington Town, his first appearance at Wembley Stadium, and also played in the replay a week later at Elland Road that saw opponents Yeading prevail with the only goal of the tie.

After talk of a trial at Hull City during the 1990 close season Brown remained at Bridlington Town but injuries hampered his goalscoring record – he struggled with ankle problems throughout his career. In February 1991 he joined Northern Counties East League rival North Ferriby United, who were managed by ex-Tiger Geoff Barker, and spent time playing alongside his Northwood team mates Craig Norrie and Dean Windass. He returned to Bridlington Town in July 1991 but in December 1991 he rebounded back to North Ferriby United, scoring four goals in April 1992 against Glasshoughton Welfare. This form encouraged Northern Premier League side Guiseley to sign Brown in July 1992 and he rewarded that faith with sixteen goals in 20 starts for the West Yorkshire side. Having finally proved his value at a higher level, Linton was lured by Division Three strugglers Halifax Town, signing on non-contract terms a week before Christmas 1992 and making his Football League debut a day later against Bury, four months prior to his 25th birthday. After 3 appearances for Halifax Town over the festive period Hull City manager Terry Dolan swooped in January 1993 and gave Linton his first long term professional contract.

In March 1996 the cash-strapped Tigers raised funds by selling Brown to fellow League Division 2 strugglers Swansea City for a £60,000 fee. Linton’s 4 appearances during the remainder of the season were not able to reverse the Swans’ form and both Swansea and Hull were relegated weeks later. Brown was a support striker and occasional wing back for Swansea City during the 1996/97 season as they reached the League Division 3 play-offs only to lose to Northampton Town in the final, handing Linton his second appearance at Wembley Stadium seven years after his first visit for Bridlington Town. Brown contributed three goals during the 1996/97 season against Darlington, Barnet and – inevitably, in January 1997 – Hull City. Linton was hankering for a return to his family home in Beverley and spent the early weeks of the 1997/98 season on loan at League Division 3 side Scarborough, making 4 appearances and scoring on his debut against Lincoln City. He returned to Swansea in late September 1997 and spent the next six months on the fringes of the first team, taking his Swans tally to three goals in 33 appearances.

Brown left Swansea City in March 1998 and signed for Northern Premier League side Emley. He had a tumultuous two months in West Yorkshire that featured two on-pitch brawls, a red card for Linton and a three match suspension. In July 1998 he moved to Northern Premier League rivals Gainsborough Trinity where he resumed his ‘super sub’ role, however his form was not good and he was released in February 1999. He joined Northern Premier League side Harrogate Town in February 1999 but was released two months later in April 1999, a fortnight before his thirtieth birthday. Brown returned to his Beverley home and spent the 1999/00 season playing local league football for Tickton and Northwood.

When he hung up his boots in 2000 Linton initially returned to his father’s cabin hire business before beginning a second career in marketing – in the early 2000s was employed in Hull City’s commercial department by chairman Adam Pearson. In April 2007 Linton was appointed Commercial Manager at Hull City, a post he held until August 2013 when he moved to a similar role at Barnsley, rising to become the Tykes’ Chief Executive in June 2016. Leaving Oakwell in January 2017 he had a short spell at Bolton Wanderers and set up his own sports branding consultancy. In September 2019 Linton was appointed Chief Commercial Officer at Blackpool, a role he vacated in February 2022. He subsequently worked for a marketing agency based in Market Weighton before joining League Two side Cheltenham Town as Head of Commercial Operations in May 2024.

Details

Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 12 April 1968, Driffield
Hull City First Game: 9 January 1993, Preston North End A (League Division 2), 24 years, 272 days old
Hull City Final Game: 16 March 1996, Brighton & Hove Albion A (League Division 2), 27 years, 339 days old

Clubs

Beverley Town, Driffield Old Boys (1984-1986), Beverley Town (1986), Driffield Town (1986-1989), Bridlington Town (1989-1991), North Ferriby United (1991), Bridlington Town (1991), North Ferriby United (1991-1992), Guiseley (1992), Halifax Town (1992-1993), Hull City (1993-1996), Swansea City (1996-1998), Scarborough (1997, loan), Emley (1998), Gainsborough Trinity (1998-1999), Harrogate Town (1999)

Hull City Record

Career: 136 apps, 25 goals