5'9.5" 12st.10lb.

b. Kilbirnie 16 September 1869 (also quoted as 26 December 1870 and 26 February 1869)

Debut 7 September 1889 (19y 356d) Final Game 3 March 1900 (30y 169d)

First Goal 4 January 1890 Final Goal 30 November 1895

CAREER: Clippens;Johnstone '85;Port Glasgow Athletic '86;Renfrew Athletic; St Mirren '87;Blackburn Rovers Aug'89;Sheffield Wednesday Jul'91[30-1];Nelson Aug'93;Blackburn Rovers Dec'93-May'00 (£145);St Mirren Sep'00-'01.

INTERNATIONALS  Scotland 1 app

’96 v Eng.

FOOTBALL LEAGUE 1 app ’91 v F All.

HONOURS FAC win (Blackburn Rovers) ’91.

FL       216 apps   2 gls

FAC     27 apps

TM        3 apps

Total  246 apps  2 gls  et 90m

LC       29 apps  1 gl et 30m

Brandon lived in Paisley from the age of two and became such a precocious footballer that he came south whilst in his teens. Capable of kicking the ball eighty yards he was seldom beaten in the tackle and formed with Ogilvie and Killean the best defence the club had fielded up to that time. Immediately after he had gained a cup winners' medal he was tempted across the Pennines by the presence of his cousin at Sheffield Wednesday. He immediately regretted it but it took two years and some nefarious dealings that involved Nelson before he could return. They proved worthwhile because he played for a further seven seasons. A popular man in town he was often seen pedalling his bicycle like a racing cyclist which gave him the fitness to extend his career. His private life became chaotic after he developed a relationship with a local woman who he subsequently lived with. He appeared in court over the desertion of his wife and family and fled to St Mirren, where his brother was playing, but had only eight games before emigrating to America. Unable to settle he came back to re-join the licensed trade, keeping the Industrious Bee in Novas. His son Tom became a Hull City stalwart. The date of his birth is hard to verify since it is not displayed in Scottish records. He reportedly  celebrated his twentieth birthday in a game at Bootle on 16 September 1889.The December date comes from an interview with the Lancashire Post when he was playing with the Rovers. The other more commonly quoted date would appear to be incorrect since when he was involved in the Harry Campbell  legal  case in April 1890 it was testified that he was still a minor. A death date of 1921 has been quoted but there is no evidence to corroborate this. His last known whereabouts  can be traced to 1919, when he was back in his first occupation of joiner, working on the Railways  at Ramsbottom.