Born in NewmilnsinAyrshire, Brown played for his local club before joining Partick Thistle in August 1905, for the start of the 1905–06 season. In January 1906, he and teammate Adam McCall were temporarily transferred to Ayr Parkhouse.[1] Brown made two Scottish Football League appearances for Partick Thistle,[2] a home game against Motherwell on 28 October 1905, and against Third Lanark on 6 Jan 1906 at inside right. He was temporarily transferred to Ayr Parkhouse once more in March 1906,[1] and played in a Glasgow League game for Thistle, against Clyde on 12 May 1906, playing at inside left.[3]
Brown transferred to London club West Ham United in 1907. Although generally at home as an inside left, Brown appeared in all of the forward positions for West Ham.[6] He made his debut on 14 September 1907 against Swindon Town,[7] and made 18 Southern League appearances for the club in his first season. His four goals for West Ham came in the form of two braces. The first earned the Irons a 2–2 draw against Leyton, who were at the time a professional club, and the second was in a 4–2 home victory over Southampton.[6] The following season saw just two appearances for Brown, and he left the club in 1909.[8]
^Brown, Alan (2001). "William Brown". Libero (34 ed.). International Federation of Football History & Statistics. p. 31.
^ abRobert Reid; et al. (2007). Partick Thistle Football Club 1876–2002: The Official History. Yore Publications. p. 163. ISBN978-1874427599.
^John Litster (October 2012). "A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players". Scottish Football Historian magazine. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^Emms, Steve; Wells, Richard (2002). Scottish Football League Players' Records 1890/91 to 1938/39. Tony Brown. p. 27. ISBN978-1899468669.
