Connor Brown - Captain Courageous

Friday, 28 April 2006
This article appeared in this week's edition of the Herald & Post. Our thanks to them for their help in this article.

Connor's achievements were first noticed at Crawley when he won the 2003 Francis Bradley Memorial Trophy - it's good to see he is carrying on his good work!

Lifting his team’s trophy on Sunday will be a double triumph for this 12-year-old football captain who has never missed a match or training in five years, despite living with cystic fibrosis.
The dedication of Connor Brown and his fellow Crawley Green U12B team mates was rewarded when they topped their division after just one season playing 11-a-side football.

Stuart Scott (above), who has been running the side for five years said: “Connor’s an absolute livewire. Looking at him, you wouldn’t believe he’s got cystic fibrosis. He wants to do everything. He’d take the training if I’d let him, he’ll go in goal if I ask him. He plays with a smile on his face through his illness and it inspires me.
“We started off at 7-a-side and of course we got beaten every week. It was just introducing young lads to football. We’ve been through the mill a bit.”
But now the team has won the Chiltern Youth League Under-12 division five, after a 9-1 away win in Houghton Regis.
Stuart said: “It was an unbelievable feeling on Sunday. We were
4-0 up inside four minutes. I just felt for them, the lads that have been with me for five years. I don’t think it’s sunk in yet.”
He started the side when his son Jack, then seven, wanted to play football and follow in the footsteps of older brother Ben, who now plays for Crawley Green Under 14s.
But the beautiful game has not been the only focus of the U12 team, which recently held a quiz night to raise cash for research into cystic fibrosis.
Joint captain Connor was diagnosed with the illness at just eight months old.

The super side celebrate their first league championship win.

His mum Judith, of Buckingham Drive, said: “Because cystic fibrosis affects the lungs, a lot of children with cystic fibrosis find it hard to exercise because their lungs are damaged, but Connor seems to want to go out and do everything, which has actually kept his lungs in really good condition.”
She said that she hoped the Putteridge High School student’s success would inspire other youngsters to be as active as possible.
“If Connor can do it, they all can do it” she said.
Connor needs to spend 20 minutes twice a day nebulising antibiotics and another 2 minutes doing breath ing exercises on his drainage bed, which tiles to elevate his feet over his head. He also spends time on the bed before playing football.
His mum said: “For a child of 12 that wants to go out and play, it’s a long time.”
Judith, dad Steve and brothers Ben, 14, 0liver, 11, and Joshua, who will be nine next week, are proud of his achievements, which have also impressed doctors. But Judith is keen to point out that topping the division is not just a success for Connor.
She said: “It’s a massive achievement for all of the team. It’s taken then five years. They’ve built themselves up and now they’ve won their league.”