Firstpoint USA Hall of Fame - 4. Ed Brand

Ed Brand is another very relevant candidate for our Firstpoint USA Hall of Fame.  Ed has enjoyed a successful career to date with Chelsea Football Club and playing for the Spartans soccer team at San Jose State University, amongst other athletic accomplishments.

Ed is a former client of Firstpoint USA, on this profile we take a look over his career to date and speak to Ed about his experiences.  

You will soon be able to vote for your choice to enter the FPUSA Hall of Fame from, keep following our blog and facebook for details.


Andrew Kean, FirstPoint USA chief executive and founder has this to say of Ed and his achievements:


"When Chelsea FC contacted me to highly recommend a member of their youth team as a possible scholarship candidate, I knew that the player would have to be very special.  Ed Brand has been an excellent ambassador for FirstPoint and enjoyed a terrific academic and playing career at San Jose State University in California.  His leadership qualities were well recognised at SJSU and he led the team as captain for the majority of his 4 years on scholarship.  Ed is a great example to any player that there are still life after being released from a professional academy.  Another excellent candidate for the FirstPoint USA ‘Hall of Fame’ and very deserving of the success he has enjoyed to date."

SPARTAN NOTES: In his fourth season with the Spartans...one of six seniors on the 2008 roster...veteran anchor in central defense and three-time team captain...enters his final collegiate campaign with 50 career starts among 51 games played, and is vying to join Johnny Gonzalez (2002-05) and Frank Sanfilippo (2000-03) in becoming just the third known Spartan to earn all-conference honors in all four years...voted to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation 15th-Year Anniversary Men’s Soccer Third Team prior to the 2007 season...all five career goals have come from the penalty spot, on five attempts, with three of them game-winners...2007 Academic All-MPSF honoree and 2006-07 San Jose State University Scholar-Athlete.

2007: Named an All-MPSF second team performer...started 15 of the 16 games in which he played...had two goals for four points...both goals came on penalty kicks...scored the game-winning opener in the 48th minute of a 2-0 home defeat of Cal State Bakersfield (9/26), and the lone Spartan goal in a 2-1 overtime loss at MPSF foe Denver (10/29)...aided in three of the Spartans’ five team shutouts defensively...five of six shots for the season were on goal...shared Most Valuable Player award with Ismael Ibarra, as voted on by teammates...one of four Spartans to be named to the season-opening Davidson adidas Classic All-Tournament Team, earning Most Valuable Player honors.

2006: Named to the All-MPSF first team...voted by teammates as the Spartans’ Most Valuable Defensive Player...started all 16 games in which he played...produced two goals and two assists for six total points, third on the team...both goals came from the penalty spot in a 2-1 home victory over Notre Dame de Namur (9/16)...two assists, which tied him for the team lead, came on the lone goal at Sacramento State (10/1) and on the game-winning opener during the first half of a 3-0 home victory over UNLV (10/26)...was one of three team tri-captains...changed his jersey number from 2 to 6 prior to the season...took six shots, with three on goal.

2005: Earned All-MPSF honorable mention and a team Coaches’ Award...one of just three Spartans, and the only newcomer, to start all 19 games...partnered in central defense with senior Dylan Pender...provided one goal and one assist offensively for three total points...goal was the double-overtime game-winner in a 1-0 victory at Air Force (10/28), from a penalty kick in the 106th minute...earned MPSF Brine Co-Player of the Week selection following that game (10/31)...assisted on the lone Spartan goal in a 3-1 home loss to then-second-ranked New Mexico (11/4)...took five shots, with three on goal.

ELLIOTT SCHOOL: Graduated in 2005 from the Elliott School in London, England, where he was the captain of both the soccer (1998-2002) and cricket (1998-2000) teams...Player of the Year in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

CLUB/OTHER: Played in the youth system of London’s Chelsea Football Club of the English Premier League for seven years...previously played with club teams Fulham and Brunswick as a youth...represented his native England six times at various levels since 2003, including one game as captain.

ED: A journalism major with a minor in political science...intends to pursue a career in professional soccer...men’s soccer team representative on the Spartan Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC)...wrote for Access last year, a campus magazine published each semester...enjoys writing, movies, music, cooking, reading and sports...favorite professional soccer team is London’s Arsenal Football Club...has one older sister, Rowena...parents are Chris and Ginny Brand...Edward Christopher Brand was born in London, England, on January 22, 1987.

BRAND’S CAREER STATISTICS
Year     GP     GS     Shots     G     A     Pts     Shot%     GWG
2005    19    19    5    1    1    3    .200    1
2006    16    16    6    2    2    6    .333    1
2007    16    15    6    2    0    4    .333    1
Totals    51    50    17    5    3    13    .294    3