Romulus stalwart Keith Brown ready for testimonial match

Aug 28 2010 by Colin Stoner, Birmingham Mail

UNLIKE Paul Peschisolido and Paul Devlin – his opponents tomorrow – Keith Brown does not have any international caps to his name.

But he has played international football – getting one over the Blues heroes who play in Brown’s testimonial match by playing in the Uefa Cup.

Brown, who has been instrumental figure in guiding Romulus through the ranks after joining Saturday football a decade ago, is rewarded for 11 years service when his Roms All Stars meet Blues Old Stars at Coles Lane, kick off 11.30am.

Brown has played, coached and managed Roms alongside Richard Evans and he admits that is his footballing home.

But it was his away travels with Inter Cardiff which gave the defender a taste of the Uefa Cup, playing against Polish side GKS Katowice in a qualifying game in 1994.

“I was fortunate in my time as a player to have a few highlights,” said Brown. “Winning the Midland Division with Stourbridge under John Cambers was fantastic, and winning the double in the Midland Combination with Evesham United and Micky Brennan was a great achievement.

“But playing in Europe with Inter Cardiff was special. We lost terribly against Katowice but they had four internationals playing for them.

“Inter Cardiff had four Brummies. Paul Hunter, Ross Knight and Willie Batchelor and myself all travelled together but because we were all classed as ‘foreign’ and they were only three to play at any one time I was on the bench.”

Brown’s CV also includes spells with Barry and Solihull Borough before linking up again with Evans, his team-mate at Stourbridge, Dudley Town and Racing Club Warwick, at the Roms when they began in Midland Combination Division Two.