Alan Brazil

Born on June 15, 1959, in Govan, Glasgow, Alan Brazil began his professional football career with Ipswich Town in 1977. During his six years with the club, he made 210 appearances and scored 80 goals, contributing significantly to their success. Notably, he was part of the Ipswich Town squad that secured the UEFA Cup victory in the 1980–81 season and achieved consecutive runner-up finishes in the league. His impressive performance led to a move to Tottenham Hotspur in March 1983, where he continued to play a role in another UEFA Cup triumph in the 1983–84 season. In June 1984, Brazil joined Manchester United for two seasons, where he made 41 appearances and scored 16 goals despite a recurring back injury.

Brazil’s international career saw him represent Scotland 13 times, including an appearance in the 1982 FIFA World Cup finals as the youngest member of the squad. After leaving Manchester United, he had brief stints with Coventry City and Queens Park Rangers before his back injury ultimately forced his retirement from top-flight football at the age of 27. He continued to play for various non-league clubs and briefly in Australia and Switzerland before fully retiring from playing.

Transitioning into media, Brazil first worked as a sports analyst for GMTV and later as a studio analyst and co-commentator for Sky Sports. His media career truly flourished when he joined Talk Radio UK in the late 1990s, which later became talkSPORT. He has been a prominent voice on the ‘Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast’ show for many years, where he continues to engage with a wide audience. In 2020, his autobiography “Only Here for a Visit: A Life Lived to the Full” was published.