Wayne Brown

Colchester United Brown signed for Phil Parkinson's Colchester United on a permanent basis ahead of the 2004–05 season following his successful loan at the end of the previous season. He made what was his third debut for the club on 7 August 2004 in Colchester's opening day 3–0 win over Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough. He scored once in a 2–2 draw at Wrexham on 22 February 2005 as he went on to make 47 appearances in all competitions.

During the 2005–06 season Brown helped his side to second position in the League One table, earning promotion to the Championship for the first time in the club's history. He made 45 appearances in all competitions. He had received only his second-ever dismissal on 3 September 2005 during Colchester's goalless draw at Bristol City. He scored three times during the season, with a goal in Colchester's record-equalling 9–1 victory over Leamington in the FA Cup first round, another in their 5–0 win at Layer Road against his former side Gillingham, and in a 1–0 home victory against Tranmere Rovers. He was named as Colchester United Player of the Year at the end of the season.

Brown's good form continued into Colchester's inaugural season in English football's second tier, guiding the side to their highest-ever league finish of 10th position in the Championship. He appeared 48 times, scoring once in Colchester's 3–1 home win against Sunderland on 21 April 2007. With one year remaining on his contract, Brown put in a transfer request during the summer of 2007.

Hull City With Brown demanding a move away from Layer Road and an opportunity to speak to Hull City, Colchester reluctantly accepted an offer from Hull for Brown. His transfer was completed on 14 July 2007, signing a three-year contract for a £450,000 fee. In his first season with Hull, Brown helped them win promotion to the Premier League following a 1–0 win against Bristol City in the 2008 play-off final. Brown scored once during the course of the season with a goal in Hull's 3–1 win over his boyhood club Ipswich on 29 September 2007. He made 47 appearances across the campaign.

After just one Premier League and one League Cup appearance in the first three months of the 2008–09 season, Brown joined Preston North End on loan for a month, having been found surplus to requirements at his parent club. Brown made six appearances for Preston through October and November 2008, before being loaned out once again by Hull.

On 30 January 2009, Brown joined League One promotion hopefuls Leicester City on loan for the remainder of the 2008–09 season with a view to a permanent transfer in the summer. He made nine appearances for Leicester as he helped them to regain promotion to the Championship as League One champions after beating Southend United 2–0 on 18 April 2009.

Leicester City Jack Hobbs and Wayne Brown playing for Leicester City in January 2010. Ten days after helping the club to the League One title, Brown signed a two-year contract with the club for an undisclosed fee. He made his second debut for the club on 8 August 2009 in Leicester's 2–1 win at home to Swansea City and went on to make 39 Championship appearances for Leicester during the course of the season.

During the close season, Brown left the club to sign for Preston North End, after being internally suspended following a dressing-room incident in which he announced to his teammates (including non-white players) that he intended to vote for the British National Party in that year's general election, and claimed that ethnic minorities were "killing this country". Brown later commented that "I have never voted for the political party in question and in no way, shape or form do I hold racist views".

Preston North End Preston North End manager Darren Ferguson brought Brown to the club following his mutually agreed release from Leicester on 6 July 2010. He made his second Preston debut on 18 September in their 1–0 home defeat by Norwich City, going on to make 13 appearances between his debut and the beginning of January 2011. However, following Ferguson's dismissal as manager and his reunion with newly appointed former Hull City manager Phil Brown on 6 January 2011, Wayne would make just one further substitute appearance in February 2011. Phil Brown had told Wayne that he would not be considered for selection, and he was one of five players released by the club at the end of the season following Preston's relegation to League One.

Bury Town After being released by Preston, Brown began training with Football League clubs Peterborough United, Bradford City and his former side Colchester United. However, he decided to sign for his former teammate at Colchester Richard Wilkins, who was managing Isthmian League side Bury Town at the time. Brown signed on 18 October 2011, turning down offers from Football League sides in order to not uproot his young family and reluctance to be a squad player. He also said that he was becoming more involved in his family business, and that his wife was expecting a baby in December. The terms with Bury allowed Brown to leave in January 2012 if a Football League club came in for him that would be financially and geographically suitable for Brown. He played his next and what would be his final game for the club in an FA Trophy first qualifying round match against Aveley on 22 October, but was replaced by Roscoe Hipperson after just 16-minutes due to injury. Brown remained out of action for the remainder of 2011, suffering from a recurrence of a calf injury and illness.

Coaching career Brown returned to Colchester United in a coaching capacity at the club's Academy, where he took up a full-time role in 2013. He was later appointed manager of the under-18 side alongside his former Ipswich Town teammate John McGreal, and led the side to the Football League Youth Alliance South East title and won the Youth Alliance Cup in April 2014. Following Richard Hall's promotion to assistant manager in September 2014, McGreal stepped up to replace Hall as under-21s manager, while Brown remained in-charge of the under-18s. Academy coach Steve Ball was promoted to jointly manage the under-18s alongside Brown.

Brown was named as assistant to joint-caretaker managers Richard Hall and John McGreal at Colchester United following Tony Humes dismissal as manager on 26 November 2015. However, following a 5–1 defeat against Burton Albion in their only match in charge, Brown was appointed as caretaker manager on 2 December. Brown led his side to a 3–2 win in his first match in charge in the FA Cup second round against Altrincham on 6 December, However, after two games managing the side, Brown dropped out of the running to become the next permanent manager following a long discussion with club chairman Robbie Cowling. Brown said "I don't feel ready and this football club needs a manager that is going into the job backing himself 100 per cent". Following the appointment of Kevin Keen as permanent U's manager, Brown reverted to his role as under-18 coach.

Following a shake-up of Colchester's backroom staff and John McGreal's subsequent promotion to first-team manager in May 2016, Brown was named as the new manager of the Colchester United under-21 side. Brown and Kevin Horlock then switched roles in May 2018, with Horlock replacing Brown as under-23 manager, and Brown taking charge of Isthmian League North Division side Maldon & Tiptree.

On 24 February 2021, with the 2020–21 Isthmian League suspended due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Brown was named interim manager of Colchester United for a second spell, following Steve Ball's exit from the role. He was replaced by Hayden Mullins from 31 March after one win in nine games.

On 19 January 2022, following the departure of Mullins, Brown was again named interim manager of Colchester United. With Brown having steered the club away from relegation and to a mid-table finish, he was given the job on a permanent basis on 17 May 2022. On 18 September 2022, following a home defeat to Grimsby, Brown was sacked as head coach of Colchester.

Career statistics

Managerial statistics

Honours Ipswich Town Football League First Division play-offs: 2000

Hull City Football League Championship play-offs: 2008

Leicester City Football League One: 2008–09

Individual Colchester United Player of the Year: 2006