Career
Born in Bristol, Brain started his career playing in Wales, having an unsuccessful trial at Cardiff City, before gaining a regular place at Ton Pentre. In 1923, he moved to, and in his eight years with the Gunners became one of the club"s most successful goalscorers. Brain was a prolific striker throughout his career, and was the club"s top scorer for four seasons in a row, from 1924-1925 to 1928-1929.
This included 39 goals in the 1925-1926 season (second only to Ted Drake"s haul of 45 in 1934-1935), which included four hat tricks.
The next season, 1926-1927, Brain scored 34 goals, this haul including two four-goal tallies against Sheffield Wednesday and Burnley. However Brain"s form dropped and in 1929-1930 he lost out in competing for the front spot with Jack Lambert, David Jack and Dave Halliday all getting the nod ahead of him, meaning Brain only played six league matches this season.
By now, Brain"s age was catching up with him, and he had been overtaken in the goalscoring stakes by both Lambert and Jack. He left for Tottenham for £2,500 in September 1931, becoming one of the few players to have moved directly between the two rival clubs.
However, he never played for England.
He managed to secure a trial for the national team but was never actually selected. By the time Brain had joined Spurs he was in his thirties, and only played 47 times for them, scoring 10 goals, before leaving in 1934. He played his final years out at Swansea Town and Bristol City.
After retiring as a player, Brain managed first King"s Lynn and then from 1939 until 1948.
During the war Brain briefly turned out foreign He returned to is role as manager until 1948, after which he retired completely from football.
He died in 1971, at the age of 71. As a player As a manager.
