Derek Bryan (footballer)

Derek Kirk Bryan (born 11 November 1974) is an English retired footballer, best remembered for his five-season spell in the Football League with Brentford. Described as having "lightning pace and an eye for goal",[2] his career was effectively ended by knee injuries suffered in January 2000.

Derek Bryan
Personal information
Full name Derek Kirk Bryan[1]
Date of birth (1974-11-11) 11 November 1974
Place of birth Hammersmith, England
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
0000–1996 Bedfont Green 0 (0)
1996–1997 Hampton 0 (0)
1997–2002 Brentford 55 (9)
2002 Gravesend & Northfleet 1 (0)
2002 Welling United 9 (1)
2002 Walton & Hersham 0 (0)
2002–2003 Hampton & Richmond Borough 0 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Early years

Bryan grew up in Hammersmith, London and began his career at Combined Counties League Premier Division club Bedfont Green.[2][3] He joined Isthmian League Second Division club Hampton on 1 August 1996.[4]

Brentford

Bryan signed for Second Division club Brentford on 29 August 1997 in a £50,000 deal.[4] He made his debut for the club in a 0–0 league draw at Plymouth Argyle on 13 September, replacing Ryan Denys after 81 minutes.[5] He made his first start in a 2–2 away draw with Bristol City on 3 March 1998 and capped his day by scoring the opening goal just before half time.[5] Niggling injuries saw Bryan make just 11 appearances during the 1997–98 season,[5] scoring two goals and Brentford suffered relegation to the Third Division on the final day.[6]

Bryan had to wait until November for his first appearance of the 1998–99 season, coming on as a 56th-minute substitute for Drewe Broughton in a 2–0 defeat at Shrewsbury Town.[7] He made 24 appearances during the 1998–99 season, scoring four goals as Brentford were promoted straight back to the Second Division as champions.[7] Bryan made regular appearances throughout the first half of the 1999–00 season,[8] until disaster struck in a Football League Trophy quarter-final tie at home to Oxford United on 25 January 2000.[6] Bryan scored the opening goal of the 2–0 win, but in the process he damaged the medial and cruciate ligaments in both knees.[6] The injury meant that he missed the rest of the 1999–00 season and the entire 2000–01 season.[6]

Bryan made his comeback from the injuries after 77 minutes of a 2–1 league victory over Peterborough United on 13 October 2001, when he came on as a substitute for Ben Burgess.[9] It turned out to be Bryan's final appearance for the club and he was released in March 2002.[10] During three-and-a-half seasons at Griffin Park, Bryan made 64 appearances and scored 10 goals.[4]

Gravesend & Northfleet

Bryan signed for Isthmian League Premier Division high-fliers Gravesend & Northfleet on 11 March 2002.[10][11] He made his debut for the club on the same day in a 2–0 defeat to Purfleet and made little impact before being substituted for Che Stadhart half time.[12] It was Bryan's only appearance for the club and he and departed a matter of weeks later.

Welling United

Bryan joined Southern League Premier Division club Welling United in late March 2002.[13] Bryan made 9 appearances and scored one goal during what remained of the 2001–02 season and left the club at the end of the campaign.[13]

Walton & Hersham

On 8 November 2002 Bryan signed for Isthmian League First Division South club Walton & Hersham and made an appearance in a 0–0 FA Trophy draw with Chesham United on 2 December.[14][15]

Return to Hampton & Richmond Borough

Bryan signed for former club Hampton & Richmond Borough (then members of the Isthmian League Premier Division) on 3 December 2002.[2] He made his debut in a 6–0 Isthmian League Cup defeat to Lewes on 11 December.[16]

Honours

Brentford

Career statistics
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Brentford 1997–98[5] Second Division 11 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 2
1998–99[7] Third Division 20 4 2 0 0 0 2[lower-alpha 1] 0 24 4
1999–00[8] Second Division 18 1 1 0 2 0 1[lower-alpha 1] 1 22 2
2001–02[9] 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Total 50 7 3 0 2 0 3 1 58 7
Welling United 2001–02[13] Southern League Premier Division 9 1 — — — 9 1
Career total 59 8 3 0 2 0 3 1 67 8
  1. Appearances in Football League Trophy

References
  1. "Derek Bryan". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  2. "NonLeagueDaily.com". Oldnonleaguedaily.com. Archived from the original on 25 December 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  3. "Combined Counties Previous Tables". Ccleague.co.uk. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  4. Derek Bryan at Soccerbase
  5. "Games played by Derek Bryan in 1997/1998". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  6. Croxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2013). The Big Brentford Book Of The Nineties. Sunbury, Middlesex: Legends Publishing. p. 421. ISBN 9781906796723.
  7. "Games played by Derek Bryan in 1998/1999". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  8. "Games played by Derek Bryan in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  9. "Games played by Derek Bryan in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  10. Footymad Limited. "Another leaves". brentford-mad.co.uk. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  11. "March 2002". ESPNFC.com. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  12. "Surprise defeat dents Fleet's title hopes". Kentonline.co.uk. 12 March 2002. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  13. "SoccerFacts UK Player Details". Soccerfactsuk.co.uk. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  14. "NonLeagueDaily.com". Oldnonleaguedaily.com. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  15. "Chesham United 0 Walton & Hersham 0". This Is Local London. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  16. "NonLeagueDaily.com". Oldnonleaguedaily.com. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
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