James Peter Brown (born 3 January 1987) is a retired English footballer who played as a winger. Brown started out as a striker for Football League side Hartlepool United but started playing on the wing during the club's promotion season in 2006–07. Brown also spent two seasons in the National League for Gateshead. Brown's career was ravaged by injuries and he retired from professional football aged 27, following this he played part-time for Northern Premier League side Whitby Town for two seasons. Career Hartlepool United Born in Cramlington, Northumberland, Brown joined Hartlepool's youth set-up from Cramlington Juniors football Club. He had joined too late to go through the Youth Scholarship system and was subsequently offered a temporary deal. He was part of the successful Hartlepool under 19s side that won the Dallas Cup XXV in 2004. James Brown was included on the substitutes bench for Hartlepool's match against AFC Bournemouth on the last day of the 2004–05 season. He was expected to play a part in the Hartlepool's 2005–06 campaign and participated regularly during pre-season. However, during pre-season, Brown ruptured his cruciate ligament against Hibernian and missed the majority of the subsequent season. On 6 May 2006, Brown made his comeback from injury by making his debut for the club, coming off the bench to score in the 1–1 draw with Port Vale at Victoria Park. The game was bittersweet for Brown as Hartlepool's failure to win saw them relegated to League Two. James's finishing earned him his first professional contract with the club in 2006. During the 2006–07 campaign, he played nearly all of Hartlepool's games on the right wing as the club won promotion back to League One. In August 2008, Brown signed a new long-term contract with Hartlepool. It was reported on 27 August 2008 that Celtic were interested in signing Brown after he was scouted by manager Gordon Strachan during Hartlepool's 3-1 League Cup win against Premier League side West Brom. The Daily Record reported that Tottenham Hotspur, Norwich City and Wolverhampton Wanderers were also monitoring Brown's progress. Brown was released by Hartlepool on 10 May 2012. His time at Hartlepool was plagued by injuries which included two cruciate ligament injuries, an ankle injury and a persistent knee problem. Gateshead Brown signed for Conference Premier side Gateshead on 6 June 2012. His debut was delayed due to requiring surgery on a double hernia. He eventually made