Jim Brennan

Infobox Football biography
playername = Jim Brennan



fullname = James Gerald Brennan
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1977|05|8
cityofbirth = East York
countryofbirth = Canada
height = height|ft=6|in=0
nickname =
position = Midfielder
currentclub = Toronto FC
clubnumber = 11
youthyears = 1994-1996
youthclubs = A.S. Sora
years = 1996-1999
1999-2003
2001
2003-2006
2006
2007-
clubs = Bristol City
Nottingham Forest
→ Huddersfield Town "(loan)"
Norwich City
Southampton
Toronto FC
caps(goals) = 055 0(3)
123 0(1)
002 0(0)
043 0(1)
014 0(0)
052 0(2)
nationalyears = 1999-present
nationalteam = Canada
nationalcaps(goals) = 047 0(6)
pcupdate = 5 October 2008
ntupdate =

James Gerald ("Jim") Brennan (born May 8, 1977 in East York, Ontario) is a professional football (soccer) player from Newmarket, Ontario, Canada; he is the captain of Toronto FC of Major League Soccer. He is also one of only a handful of Canadian-born players to have ever played in the FA Premier League.

Biography

A left-back defender who also has played the left side of the midfield, Brennan started playing professionally as a trainee with Italian Serie C1 club Sora before signing with Football League Second Division Bristol City on a free transfer in 1996. In 64 first-team appearances for City over four seasons, Brennan scored three goals.

Brennan joined Nottingham Forest for £1.5 million in October 1999. In 146 games played with Forest over four seasons, Brennan scored just once. He also came on as a substitute in two league games while on loan to Huddersfield Town in 2000-01.

Brennan joined Norwich City on a free Bosman transfer in 2003. During the 2003-04 season in Division One of the Football League, Brennan scored twice in just nine appearances, as he battled an abductor muscle injury. Despite his personal struggles with fitness, the season saw Norwich win the First Division title and promotion back to the Premiership.

Brennan was transferred to Southampton on 27 January2006 with his contract due to expire in summer having failed to make an impact on the Norwich first team. However, following the expiration of his Southampton contract he was released by the club the following May.

Brennan has made 43 appearances for the Canadian national team, and scored six times. On September 8, 2006, it was announced that Brennan will be heading to Toronto to join the city's new MLS team Toronto FC for the 2007 season, becoming the first player in club history. [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060908.wtorontofc8/BNStory/Sports/OtherSports/] He also became the first Canadian to score for Toronto FC, registering a goal off a free kick against the Columbus Crew on 26 May 2007. This goal subsequently became a Sierra Mist Goal of the Week. Brennan went on to play 27 games, all of them starts, for Toronto FC, the most of any player. He earned a reputation as Toronto FC's "Iron Man," as he managed to play many of his games despite a rib injury, and looked as though he would go on to play every match of the season. Unfortunately, a knee injury prevented Brennan from achieving this feat. Brennan retained the captaincy for the 2008 season, and nearly managed to score in his team's opening match.

He is married to Jenn Yowart of Vaughan and they live together at his condo in downtown Toronto. They tied the knot in January, in the Dominican Republic.

Titles

*Norwich City: Second tier - 2003-2004

References

ee also

* List of current MLS players

External links

* [http://toronto.fc.mlsnet.com/players/bio.jsp?team=t280&player=brennan_j&playerId=bre458455&statType=current Jim Brennan's biography at Toronto F.C.'s official site]
* [http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/nationals/profile.asp?id=84&sub=3 "CanadaSoccer.com" with a national team member profile page for Brennan]
* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/searchresults.asp?FootballHeroName=Jim+Brennan Photos and stats] at sporting-heroes.net
*soccerbase|960
* [http://www.ex-canaries.co.uk/players/brennan.htm Career information at ex-canaries.co.uk]
* [http://www.embargo.ca/ultras/news/announcements/20071023-1.html 2007 U-Sector TFC Player of the Year - Jim Brennan]