Freddie Brown started out in the Midland League with his home town club Gainsborough Trinity, but working at Hadfield’s Steel & Armaments works in Sheffield when he first appeared for Sheffield United in the wartime regional league in January 1916. After playing fairly regularly for the ‘Blades’ throughout the latter part of the conflict, he was officially signed in August 1919 and won a place in the First Division side during the two seasons following the war, scoring seven goals in 36 matches, but then spent a couple of seasons in the reserves in (making a single additional first-team appearance) before arriving at the Goldstone on a free transfer in August 1923.
Freddie led Albion’s attack in the opening eight games of the season before losing his place to Tommy Cook, but when Andy Neil was transferred to Arsenal in March he came back into the team at inside-right. Given a free transfer at the end of the 1923-24 campaign, he left for Gillingham in August, and in three seasons at Priestfield scored 27 goals in 95 Third Division outings; in 1925-26 he was top scorer with fifteen goals. In June 1927, Freddie’s career turned full cycle when he returned to Gainsborough Trinity.
Freddie played 19 matches for the Seagulls in 1923-24 scoring 3 goals.