United adds a forward with lots of punch — and mileage, too
Jamaican Brown has played in Albania, MLS and USLC
Brian Brown doesn’t waste time overthinking his role on the soccer pitch.
A forward from Sandy Bay, Jamaica, Brown, 28, became New Mexico United’s latest offseason addition on Monday. Asked about his playing mindset during a Zoom media conference, Brown did not hesitate.
“The No. 1 thing is to score goals,” he said. “I enjoy setting up my teammates and everything else about the game, but I want to score goals and push for a championship.”
Brown can speak from experience. Over the past nine seasons he’s netted goals in various leagues and venues ranging from his native Jamaica to Albania with several Major League Soccer and USL Championship stops in between.
He spent much of the last two seasons playing for FK Partizani in Albania’s SuperLiga, but more pertinent to New Mexico fans may be Brown’s prolific scoring for USL Championship clubs Charlotte and Reno. For the former, he scored nine goals in 27 appearances in 2016. With the latter, he racked up 28 goals and 14 assists in 68 appearances from 2017-19 and became the Reno franchise’s career scoring leader.
New Mexico coach Troy Lesesne was an assistant coach for the Charlotte Independence during Brown’s time there and later coached against him. Both experiences played a role in Lesesne’s desire to reunite with Brown.
“I didn’t enjoy it at all being on the opposite touch line from him,” Lesesne said. “Brian’s a lethal attacking player.
He scores goals, sets up teammates and is relentless in the way he works. He’ll add incredible punch to our attack.”
NMU’s front line could have considerable bite in 2021, with a number of accomplished goal-scorers vying for minutes. Brown joins a group that includes returnees Devon Sandoval, Amando Moreno and newcomers Ilija Ilic and Sergio Rivas. United lost a weapon when Chris Wehan signed with Orange County this offseason, but Brown’s addition left Lesesne feeling good about his club’s firepower.
“Brian is a forward that every team in the USL would like to have on its roster,” Lesesne said.
Brown participated in Monday’s media session from his home in Jamaica and hopes to travel to Albuquerque in the next few weeks. He competed against United twice in 2019 and said he’s looking forward to getting to know the club’s passionate fan base.
“I’m super excited to get back to playing in the States,” he said, “someplace you feel like is your home. There’s a different culture in Albuquerque with the fans and the atmosphere, and I’ve been looking forward to working with Troy again since 2016.”