In an ongoing series we are highlighting the young players who are part of JD Club NI, the Irish Football Association’s elite development programme.
Name: Rian Brown.
Age: 11.
School: CBS Glen Road, Belfast.
Which JD Club NI team do you play for? Under-12 (2005).
Which club/s do you play for? Linfield FC.
Any previous clubs? Celtic Bhoys.
Favourite team/s: Celtic and Liverpool.
Favourite player/s – who inspires you? Germany and Bayern Munich keeper Manuel Neuer as well as Cristiano Ronaldo.
What’s the best save/s you have made? Three penalty saves in the Northern Ireland Boys’ Cup Final (it was a penalty shoot-out!).
Do you play/like any other sports apart from football? Gaelic football and boxing.
What’s the best team you have played against? Portadown.
What’s the best pitch you have played on? Allen Park in Antrim.
What’s the best stadium you have visited? Celtic Park and The National Football Stadium at Windsor Park.
Most difficult opponent – who is the best player you have come up against? Zach Cowan.
Any other interesting facts about you that we should know? Since joining JD Club NI I have improved so much in terms of my game and my confidence. I have seen different countries because of Club NI. I have met new friends who I know will be friends for life. And my coaches have be brilliant on and off the pitch.
