ISL 2019-20: Bengaluru FC sign Jamaican forward Deshorn Brown 

Reigning Indian Super League Champions Bengaluru FC completed their overseas player slots with Jamaican striker Deshorn Brown being unveiled on Wednesday. The 29-year-old has penned a one-and-a-half contract till the end of the 2020-21 season.

The Blues had to battle it out with Malaysian club Melaka United to get hold of Brown's signature but with the latter seemingly not being able to meet the Jamaican's financial demands, the ISL champions rounded off the formalities to sign their seventh overseas player.

Although Bengaluru FC occupy a respectable third spot in the points table, the club has struggled for goals with summer signing Manuel Onwu picking up an injury after putting in some ineffective performances.

This meant that the time had arrived for Bengaluru FC to exercise the opportunity to sign an extra foreign player and manager Carles Cuadrat was confident that Brown could deliver the goods for his side.

We had the option of signing a seventh foreign player and we felt now was a good time to exercise it. Deshorn lends us more options in attack and even though he joins us in the middle of the season, we believe he will play his part in helping the team achieve its goal.

After playing college football in the United States, the Jamaican turned professional in 2011 with Des Moines Menace in the United Soccer League. The following season he turned out for Reading United before making the move up to Colorado Rapids in the Major League Soccer. The attacker scored 23 goals in a little over two years for the Rapids in the American top flight.

Brown himself was delighted to sign for Bengaluru FC while admitting that he is ready to take on a new challenge in a different footballing atmosphere.

It’s a difficult task, coming in mid-way through the season, but one that I am prepared for. I have been working on staying as healthy as I can. The club has shown great belief in offering me a contract and I’m aiming to give my best for Bengaluru. I did manage to catch the last couple of games and a few highlights. We’re in the play-off spot positions and that’s a good thing.

Having played in four countries in three different continents in the USA, Norway, China and Spain, the Blues will expect Brown to settle in quickly with the business end of the season approaching fast. He said,

Playing in different countries is always a challenge mentally. Culturally, I love the game, and wherever it takes me. I’m excited to experience a new culture, and ready for the new challenge that comes with it.

In 2015, Brown moved to Norway for his first European stint playing for Vålerenga in the Tippeligaen for two seasons, before moving to Asia for the first time in 2016, turning out for Chinese side Shenzhen FC in the Chinese League One.

The Jamaican returned to the US in 2017, playing for Tampa Bay Rowdies (USL) and DC United (MLS) before moving to Spain to play for Lorca FC in the Segunda Division (2017-18). He last played for Oklahoma City Energy (2018-19) in the USL. At the international level, Brown has represented the Jamaican National team, winning the Caribbean Cup in 2014.