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Brian Statham (footballer)

{{Short description|English footballer (born 1969)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Use British English|date=April 2016}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Brian Statham

| image =

| fullname = Brian Statham{{Hugman|18713|accessdate=14 January 2018}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|5|21|df=y}}

| birth_place = Harare, Rhodesia

| height = 1.73m

| position = Right back, midfielder

| currentclub = Welling United (caretaker manager)

| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–1987

| youthclubs1 = Tottenham Hotspur

| years1 = 1987–1992

| clubs1 = Tottenham Hotspur

| caps1 = 24

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 1991

| clubs2 = → Reading

| caps2 = 8

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 1991

| clubs3 = → Bournemouth (loan)

| caps3 = 2

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 1992

| clubs4 = → Brentford (loan)

| caps4 = 1

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 1992–1997

| clubs5 = Brentford

| caps5 = 161

| goals5 = 1

| years6 = 1997–1999

| clubs6 = Gillingham

| caps6 = 20

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 1998

| clubs7 = → Woking (loan)

| caps7 =

| goals7 =

| years8 = 1999

| clubs8 = → Stevenage Borough (loan)

| caps8 = 3

| goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2000–2001

| clubs9 = Chesham United

| caps9 =

| goals9 =

| years10 = 2001–2003

| clubs10 = Chelmsford City

| caps10 = 66

| goals10 = 0

| years11 = 2003–2004

| clubs11 = Welling United

| caps11 = 25

| goals11 = 0

| years12 = 2004

| clubs12 = East Thurrock United

| caps12 =

| goals12 =

| years13 = 2004–2005

| clubs13 = Erith & Belvedere

| caps13 =

| goals13 =

| years14 = 2005

| clubs14 = Heybridge Swifts

| caps14 = 1

| goals14 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 1988

| nationalteam1 = England U21

| nationalcaps1 = 3

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| manageryears1 = 2005–2008

| managerclubs1 = Heybridge Swifts

| manageryears2 = 2009–2010

| managerclubs2 = Billericay Town

| manageryears3 = 2025–

| managerclubs3 = Welling United (caretaker)

}}

Brian Statham (born 21 May 1969) is an English retired professional footballer who made over 160 appearances in the Football League for Brentford as a right back. He also played league football for Tottenham Hotspur, Gillingham, Reading, Bournemouth and was capped by England at U21 level. He is currently caretaker manager of Welling United.

Club career

= Tottenham Hotspur =

A right back, Statham began his career in the youth system at First Division club Tottenham Hotspur and turned professional in 1987.{{Cite book |last=Triggs |first=Roger |title=The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club |publisher=Tempus Publishing Ltd |year=2001 |isbn=0-7524-2243-X |pages=306–307}} He broke through into the first team during the 1987–88 season and made 19 appearances. Statham managed eight further appearances during the 1988–89 season, before dropping out of the squad. He spent time away on loan during the 1990–91 and 1991–92 seasons and departed White Hart Lane in February 1992. Statham was awarded a benefit match by the club in July 2000.{{Cite web |title=Brian Statham benefit 29 July 2000 – News |url=http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/brian-statham-benefit-290700/ |access-date=15 January 2018 |website=www.tottenhamhotspur.com |language=en}}

= Brentford (loan and permanent transfer) =

In January 1992, Statham joined high-flying Third Division club Brentford on a one-month loan, with a view to a permanent transfer.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=86}} He made just one appearance during his spell and rejected the contract offered, before reconsidering and joining the club on a permanent deal for a £70,000 fee on 28 February.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=86}} Statham was a regular in the team during the last three months of the 1991–92 season, making 18 appearances and he won the first silverware of his career when Brentford secured the Third Division title on the final day.{{Fchd|id=BRENTFOR|name=Brentford F.C.}} Statham's 58 appearances during the 1992–93 season in the reclassified First Division was a career-high, but the season ended on a disappointing note, with relegation straight back to the third-tier.

Back in the Second Division for the 1993–94 season, Statham made 36 appearances and scored what would be the only goal of his professional career in a 3–3 draw with Cambridge United on 26 March 1993.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=139}} Despite appearing regularly during the first half of the 1994–95 season,{{Cite book |title=Griffin Gazette versus AFC Bournemouth |date=29 April 1995 |publisher=Quay Design of Poole |pages=34–35}} he was transfer listed in December 1994.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=174}} Statham made 44 appearances during a season in which the Bees were denied promotion after defeat to Huddersfield Town in the playoff semi-finals. During the 1995 off-season, Statham rejected a new contract in favour of a week-to-week deal.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=200}} He made 24 appearances before suffering a double fracture of his right leg during a 1–0 FA Cup second round victory over Bournemouth on 2 December 1995.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=202}} Though he was still on the weekly contract, the club would honour the terms of its initial contract offer until the end of the 1995–96 season.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=202}}

Statham returned to training November 1996 and made his first appearance in nearly 13 months as a 79th-minute substitute for Carl Asaba in a 4–1 victory over Plymouth Argyle on 26 December 1996.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=231}} Featuring mostly as a substitute,{{Cite book |title=Brentford's Official Matchday Magazine versus Peterborough United |date=3 May 1997 |pages=30–31}} Statham finished with the 1996–97 season with 25 appearances, but his Brentford career would end in ignominy, after he was sent off after being shown a second yellow card late in the 1997 Second Division playoff Final, which was lost 1–0 to Crewe Alexandra.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=229}} Statham departed Brentford in August 1997, having made 201 appearances and scored one goal during five-and-a-half years at Griffin Park.{{Soccerbase|id=7567}}

= Gillingham =

On 22 August 1997, Statham joined Second Division club Gillingham for a £10,000 fee, with two further £10,000 fees to be paid based on appearances.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=259-260}} He made just 24 appearances before departing Priestfield in October 1999.

= Non-League spells =

After loan spells with Woking and Stevenage Borough while a Gillingham player, Statham dropped back into non-League football upon his release from Gillingham. Between 2000 and 2005 he played for Chesham United, Chelmsford City, Welling United, East Thurrock United, Erith & Belvedere and Heybridge Swifts.{{Cite web |title=Player Profile |url=http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/teams/guidetoground.php?mode=playershow&pid=1477&team_id=81&league_id=1 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120908232636/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/teams/guidetoground.php?mode=playershow&pid=1477&team_id=81&league_id=1 |archive-date=8 September 2012 |access-date=19 October 2015 |website=NonLeagueDaily.com}}

International career

Statham won three caps for the England U21 team in 1988.

Managerial career

= Heybridge Swifts =

Statham was appointed as manager of Isthmian League Premier Division club Heybridge Swifts in January 2005.{{Cite web |last=Wigmore |first=Simon |date=1 February 2005 |title=Statham off to swift start with win for Heybridge |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2354656/Statham-off-to-swift-start-with-win-for-Heybridge.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423095815/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2354656/Statham-off-to-swift-start-with-win-for-Heybridge.html |archive-date=23 April 2019 |access-date=19 October 2015 |website=Telegraph.co.uk}} He guided the club to a runners-up finish in the 2005–06 season, but the Swifts were denied promotion after falling to Hampton & Richmond Borough in the playoff semi-finals.{{Fchd|id=HEYBRIDS|name=Heybridge Swifts F.C.}} After two mid-table finishes, Statham resigned on 28 August 2008.{{Cite news |date=28 August 2008 |title=Swifts part company with Statham |language=en-GB |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_conf/7585967.stm |access-date=21 April 2022}}

= Billericay Town =

On 23 April 2009, Statham was announced as manager of Isthmian League Premier Division club Billericay Town.{{Cite news |date=23 April 2009 |title=Statham named Billericay manager |language=en-GB |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8014523.stm |access-date=14 January 2018}} With relegation at the end of the 2009–10 season looking a possibility, Statham was sacked on 29 March 2010.{{Cite news |date=29 March 2010 |title=Billericay cut ties with Statham |language=en-GB |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/8592753.stm |access-date=14 January 2018}}

=Welling United=

In March 2025, having been assisting the club as a first-team coach, Statham was appointed interim manager of National League South side Welling United until the end of the season following the resignation of Rod Stringer. {{cite web|url=https://wellingunited.com/2025/03/rod-stringer-steps-down/|title=Rod Stringer steps down|website=wellingunited.com|date=16 March 2025|accessdate=16 March 2025}}

Personal life

Statham was born in Harare, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and later lived in Saudi Arabia, before his parents moved to Essex. The namesake of a former England international cricketer, he represented Essex in school cricket. Statham's son Maxwell is also a footballer and plays in non-League football.{{Cite web |date=14 November 2021 |title=Where are they now? Former Spurs Academy player Maxwell Statham |url=https://superhotspur.com/2021/11/14/where-are-they-now-former-spurs-academy-player-maxwell-statham/ |access-date=21 April 2022 |website=Superhotspur |language=en}} After retiring from football, Statham became a businessman, with interests in media, insurance and investments.{{Cite web |title=Brian Statham – Lead Delivery |url=http://leaddelivery.co.uk/brian-statham/ |access-date=14 January 2018 |website=leaddelivery.co.uk |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |title=Where Are They Now? Gillingham's Division Two play-off winners 1999-00 |language=en-GB |work=The League Paper |url=https://www.theleaguepaper.com/featured/7884/where-are-they-now-gillinghams-division-two-play-off-winners-1999-00/ |access-date=14 January 2018}} He is also a football agent.{{Cite web |title=Player First |url=https://www.playerfirst.co.uk/zh/site/about |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180115073154/https://www.playerfirst.co.uk/zh/site/about |archive-date=15 January 2018 |access-date=14 January 2018 |website=www.playerfirst.co.uk |language=zh}}

Career statistics

{{Expand section|

  • Woking
  • Chesham United
  • East Thurrock United
  • Erith & Belvedere|date=January 2018}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

! rowspan="2" |Club

! rowspan="2" |Season

! colspan="3" |League

! colspan="2" |FA Cup

! colspan="2" |League Cup

! colspan="2" |Other

! colspan="2" |Total

Division

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

rowspan="3" |Tottenham Hotspur

|1987–88{{Cite web |title=Brian Statham |url=https://www.11v11.com/players/brian-statham-39488/ |access-date=14 January 2018 |website=11v11.com}}

| rowspan="2" |First Division

|18

|0

|1

|0

|0

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|19

|0

1988–89

|6

|0

|0

|0

|2

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|8

|0

colspan="2" |Total

!24

!0

!1

!0

!2

!0

! colspan="2" |—

!27

!0

Reading (loan)

|1990–91

|Third Division

|8

|0

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|8

|0

Bournemouth (loan)

|1991–92

|Third Division

|2

|0

|0

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|1

|0

|3

|0

rowspan="7" |Brentford

|1991–92{{Cite book |last=Croxford |first=Mark |title=The Big Brentford Book Of The Nineties |last2=Lane |first2=David |last3=Waterman |first3=Greville |publisher=Legends Publishing |year=2013 |isbn=9781906796723 |location=Sunbury, Middlesex |pages=476–481}}

|Third Division

|18

|0

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|18

|0

1992–93

|First Division

|45

|0

|1

|0

|4

|0

|8Appearances in Anglo-Italian Cup

|0

|58

|0

1993–94

| rowspan="4" |Second Division

|31

|1

|1

|0

|2

|0

|2Appearances in Football League Trophy

|0

|36

|1

1994–95

|36

|0

|2

|0

|2

|0

|42 appearances in Second Division play-offs, 2 appearances in Football League Trophy

|0

|44

|0

1995–96

|17

|0

|1

|0

|4

|0

|2

|0

|24

|0

1996–97{{Soccerbase season|id=7567|season=1996|accessdate=14 January 2018}}

|19

|0

|1

|0

|0

|0

|53 appearances in Second Division play-offs, 2 appearances in Football League Trophy

|0

|25

|0

colspan="2" |Total

!166

!1

!6

!0

!8

!0

!21

!0

!201

!1

rowspan="3" |Gillingham

|1997–98{{Soccerbase season|id=7567|season=1997|accessdate=14 January 2018}}

| rowspan="2" |Second Division

|20

|0

|2

|0

|0

|0

|1

|0

|23

|0

1998–99{{Soccerbase season|id=7567|season=1998|accessdate=14 January 2018}}

|0

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|0

|0

|1

|0

|1

|0

colspan="2" |Total

!20

!0

!2

!0

!0

!0

!2

!0

!24

!0

Stevenage Borough (loan)

|1998–99{{Cite web |title=Stevenage Players {{!}} Brian Statham |url=http://www.boroguide.co.uk/players/player.php?ID=433 |access-date=14 January 2018 |website=BoroGuide |language=en}}

|Conference

|3

|0

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|3

|0

Chesham United

|2001–02{{Cite web |title=Player Details: Season 2001–2002 Brian Statham |url=http://soccerfactsuk.co.uk/s2001/player_details.php?playerid=4114 |url-status=dead |access-date=14 January 2018 |website=SoccerFacts UK |archive-date=15 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180115184412/http://soccerfactsuk.co.uk/s2001/player_details.php?playerid=4114 }}

|Isthmian League Premier Division

|8

|1

|0

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|0

|0

|8

|1

rowspan="3" |Chelmsford City

|2001–02

| rowspan="2" |Southern League Premier Division

|27

|0

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|0

|0

|27

|0

2002–03{{Cite web |title=Player Details: Season 2002–2003 Brian Statham |url=http://soccerfactsuk.co.uk/s2002/player_details.php?playerid=4364 |url-status=dead |access-date=14 January 2018 |website=SoccerFacts UK |archive-date=15 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180115071652/http://soccerfactsuk.co.uk/s2002/player_details.php?playerid=4364 }}

|39

|0

|0

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|0

|0

|39

|0

colspan="2" |Total

!66

!0

!0

!0

! colspan="2" |—

!0

!0

!66

!0

Welling United

|2003–04{{Cite web |title=Player Details: Season 2003–2004 Brian Statham |url=http://soccerfactsuk.co.uk/s2003/player_details.php?playerid=4791 |url-status=dead |access-date=14 January 2018 |website=SoccerFacts UK |archive-date=15 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180115071713/http://soccerfactsuk.co.uk/s2003/player_details.php?playerid=4791 }}

|Southern League Premier Division

|25

|0

|0

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|0

|0

|25

|0

Erith & Belvedere

|2004–05{{Cite web |title=Player Details: Season 2004–2005 Brian Statham |url=http://soccerfactsuk.co.uk/s2004/player_details.php?playerid=9239 |url-status=dead |access-date=14 January 2018 |website=SoccerFacts UK |archive-date=15 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180115071719/http://soccerfactsuk.co.uk/s2004/player_details.php?playerid=9239 }}

|Southern League First Division East

|1

|0

|0

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|0

|0

|1

|0

Heybridge Swifts

|2004–05

|Isthmian League Premier Division

|1

|0

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|1

|0

colspan="3" |Career total

!324

!2

!9

!0

!10

!0

!24

!0

!367

!2

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • {{Soccerbase|7567}}

{{National League South managers}}

{{Welling United F.C. managers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Statham, Brian}}

Category:1969 births

Category:Living people

Category:English men's footballers

Category:England men's under-21 international footballers

Category:Men's association football defenders

Category:Tottenham Hotspur F.C. players

Category:Reading F.C. players

Category:AFC Bournemouth players

Category:Brentford F.C. players

Category:Gillingham F.C. players

Category:Woking F.C. players

Category:Stevenage F.C. players

Category:Chesham United F.C. players

Category:Chelmsford City F.C. players

Category:Welling United F.C. players

Category:East Thurrock United F.C. players

Category:Erith & Belvedere F.C. players

Category:English Football League players

Category:Isthmian League players

Category:National League (English football) players

Category:English football managers

Category:Heybridge Swifts F.C. managers

Category:Billericay Town F.C. managers

Category:Welling United F.C. managers

Category:Isthmian League managers

Category:National League (English football) managers

Category:Heybridge Swifts F.C. players

Category:Footballers from Harare

Category:English football agents