Introducing Alan: A look at the career of Alan Brazil

Friend of Coral and ex-pro Alan Brazil can be heard on the talkSPORT breakfast show every morning. He is joined by Coral’s Simon Clare or David Stevens every morning on the daily download, in which Alan and the guys discuss the big events and all things betting.

For those of you who just know Alan from the radio and race course, lets have a look at his career thus far.

Brazil was born in 1959, in the Simshill district of Glasgow, but began his senior career in England with Ipswich Town in 1977.

Sir Bobby Robson was his manager at the time, and Brazil played a crucial part in the successful 1980/81 campaign that included the Tractor Boys winning the UEFA Cup, as well as finishing runners-up in the old First Division.

The following season, his 22 goals – second only to Kevin Keegan’s tally in the league – helped Ipswich to second place once again – and earned him a big-money move to Tottenham in March 1983, for £425,000.

He picked up a second UEFA Cup medal whilst at Spurs but, after just a season at White Hart Lane, Brazil joined Manchester United for £625,000 under Ron Atkinson for two years.

Injury cut short his career but, in his later years, he managed to play overseas for Wollongong City in Australia as well as FC Baden in Switzerland.

Brazil earned 13 caps for his country Scotland, and played in the 1982 World Cup in Spain – where he was the youngest member in the squad.

After hanging up his boots, he became a pundit on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday programme in the early 1990s.

He has two books published, both co-written with Mike Parry. The first, in 2006, was titled There’s an Awful Lot of Bubbly in Brazil, and he then released Both Barrels from Brazil the following year.

In 2011, in aid of his former Ipswich boss, he gave profits from his ‘Alan Brazil’s Nuts’ snacks to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

A horse racing enthusiast, Brazil can often be seen at major events in the sport and, every year since joining talkSPORT, he has broadcast from the Cheltenham festival. In 2014, he was talking alongside Simon Clare, David Stevens and Nicola McGeady in the Coral box. Brazil is also a keen golfer, and has covered many UK events.