Richard Jon Brodie (born 8 July 1987) is an English football manager and player.
Brodie played as a striker and started his career with Whickham and, after being their top scorer in the 2005–06 season, moved to Newcastle Benfield in 2006. He signed for York City in January 2007 and finished 2006–07 with one goal and played in the Conference National play-off semi-final. He started 2007–08 with only 3 goals in 2007, but finished the season with 14 goals. Early in 2008–09, Brodie was loaned to Barrow and scored four goals during a one-month period. He finished the season as York's top scorer with 19 goals and played in their 2009 FA Trophy Final defeat at Wembley Stadium. The 2009–10 season saw Brodie play in York's defeat in the 2010 Conference Premier play-off final at Wembley Stadium and again finish as top scorer, this time with 34 goals. He joined Crawley Town in August 2010 for an undisclosed fee, and with them he won the Conference Premier title in 2010–11.
He joined Fleetwood Town on a season-long loan for 2011–12, winning a second Conference Premier title in as many seasons. Brodie had loan spells with Morecambe and Grimsby Town over 2012–13, and after being released by Crawley joined Gateshead. He was loaned out to Hereford United and Southport, joining the latter permanently in 2014. Having been Southport's top scorer with 14 goals in 2014–15, Brodie joined Aldershot Town but finished 2015–16 with Stockport County. He returned to York in 2016, but was released the following year after a loan spell with Macclesfield Town. This was followed by short spells with Boston United and Southport. He rounded off the final years of his playing career with spells at Skelmersdale United, Solihull Moors, Rushall Olympic, Warrington Town, Ramsbottom United and Ilkeston Town. He earned two caps for the England national C team from 2008 to 2009.
Club career Early life and career Brodie was born in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, and grew up in the town as a Sunderland supporter. He attended Whickham School and played football for the Gateshead district team as a teenager. He later played youth football with Whickham Fellside Juniors from the age of 10 to 16, Redheugh Boys Club, scoring six goals in a 14–2 victory over Consett Badgers in March 2004, and the Durham County under-18 team, featuring in the FA County Youth Cup in November. Brodie started his senior career in 2004 after making substitute appearances for Whickham in the semi-professional Northern League Division Two before playing for them permanently aged 17. He scored a hat-trick for Whickham in a 5–3 victory over Marske United in November 2005. He scored 21 league goals in 35 appearances for Whickham and was their top scorer in the 2005–06 season.
Brodie moved to Northern League Division One club Newcastle Benfield in the summer of 2006 and became a popular player at the club. This move came after impressing Benfield manager Paul Baker in a match between the teams, in which Brodie impressed with his physicality. While playing semi-professionally, Brodie took a part-time apprenticeship in joinery and later worked as a full-time joiner. He scored the first goal for Benfield in a friendly against Newcastle United in September, which finished as a 4–3 defeat. Brodie scored the second goal in a 2–0 victory over Cammell Laird with a free kick from 25 yards. He helped Benfield to victory in an FA Vase tie against Castle Vale in December by scoring their second goal in a 2–0 victory, which set up a fifth-round tie against Truro City. He was taken on trial by Premier League team Bolton Wanderers and he played for them in a juniors tournament in France, which ended unsuccessfully after he was played out of position at centre-back. He scored 3 goals in 11 league appearances for Benfield.
York City
After impressing against Conference National club York City in a FA Cup fourth qualifying round tie, Brodie trialled with the club and played in their reserve team, whilst also being allowed to play for Benfield in the FA Vase. He signed for York on transfer deadline day, 31 January 2007, on a contract until the end of 2006–07 for a nominal fee. He scored two minutes into his York debut with the third goal in a 4–0 victory away to Altrincham on 10 February 2007, having entered the match as a 64th-minute substitute. He was sent off during a North Riding Senior Cup match for York's reserves against Scarborough in February 2007, but a suspension did not come into place until 14 days later, meaning he was able to play league-leaders Dagenham & Redbridge. York ranked fourth in the Conference National and Brodie played in both legs of the play-off semi-final defeat to Morecambe, losing 2–1 on aggregate, and finished the season with 14 appearances and 1 goal. In May 2007, York exercised their option to extend his contract for 2007–08.
Brodie made his first appearance of 2007–08 after being introduced as a 61st-minute substitute at home to Cambridge United on 11 August 2007, but was unable to help the team as they lost 2–1. His first goal of the season came with the opener in a 3–2 home defeat to Rushden & Diamonds on 30 August 2007, and this was followed up with a goal in the following match, a 2–2 home draw with Altrincham. Having not scored since, he received abuse from some sections of the York support during the 6–0 home victory over Rushall Olympic in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round on 27 October 2007. Following this, manager Billy McEwan said "I was disappointed to hear the young players like Richard Brodie getting stick. How can we develop young players if we don't support them?" Brodie and Onome Sodje scored in extra time to give York victory in the Conference League Cup fourth round match away to Stafford Rangers on 22 December 2007, which set a new club record of six successive away victories. Brodie went on to score two goals in stoppage time to give York a 4–3 away win over Droylsden, which drew praise from manager Colin Walker.
He suffered an ankle injury in a reserve match against Darlington on 8 January 2008, and returned to the team for a 2–2 draw away to Altrincham 11 days later. He was dropped from the team against Halifax Town in favour of loanee Leo Fortune-West, and even though manager Walker assured Brodie that he was in the club's long-term plans, Brodie reacted angrily to being substituted for Fortune-West at home to Ebbsfleet United on 29 March 2008. He finished his first full season at York with 14 goals in 48 appearances, as they finished 14th in the Conference Premier. In April 2008, the club took up its option of extending his contract until the end of 2008–09. Newly promoted Conference North club Gateshead made an inquiry for Brodie in June 2008, which was rejected by York. Gateshead later had a four-figure bid rejected, which would have been doubled if they would have won promotion into the Conference Premier the following season.
Following Martyn Woolford's departure from York, Brodie played on the left wing in the 1–0 away victory over Crawley Town on the opening day of the season. His first goal of the season came after being assisted by Simon Rusk in a 2–2 away draw with Northwich Victoria. After coming on as a substitute in the 68th minute, he was sent off in the 76th minute of a 3–1 away defeat against Wrexham on 7 October 2008, after initially being shown a yellow card for kicking the ball away and then receiving a second card for a tackle on Carl Tremarco, which resulted in him being suspended for York's match against Woking.
Barrow loan He joined York's Conference Premier rivals Barrow on a one-month loan on 23 October 2008, having made 15 appearances and scored 3 goals for York up to that point in 2008–09. After Brodie scored two goals on his debut for Barrow in a 4–0 away victory Tamworth in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round, Barrow's joint-manager Darren Sheridan said "He did well and he gives us more options for the team. It was a great debut from him and we know there is still more to come in the next few games". This performance led to him being nominated as Player of the Round for the fourth qualifying round, which was eventually awarded to Sam Hatton of AFC Wimbledon. Barrow revealed that they were hoping to sign him permanently in January 2009 if his loan spell at the club proved successful. He made his league debut for Barrow in a 3–1 home victory over Forest Green Rovers and he scored against Gateshead in the Conference League Cup third round for Barrow, the match finishing 3–1 after extra time. It was agreed for Brodie's loan at the club to be extended following the match, but York overturned this decision a day later. He made his final appearance for Barrow in a 1–0 home defeat to Weymouth on 22 November 2008, finishing the spell with seven appearances and four goals. He later ruled out the possibility of rejoining Barrow in January 2009, saying he was committed to York.
Return from loan
He made his first appearance for York following his return a day after making his final appearance for Barrow, coming on as a 61st-minute substitute for Liam Shepherd in a 2–2 draw at home to Crawley on 23 November 2008. Brodie scored York's equaliser in the following match away to Salisbury City on 29 November 2008 with a goal in the 83rd minute, which finished as a 1–1 draw in Martin Foyle's first match as manager. After picking up a yellow card against Salisbury, his fifth of the season for York, he was handed a one-match suspension which saw him miss the match against Grays Athletic. He scored with a 25-yard shot on his return away to Histon on 9 December 2008, which finished as a 1–1 draw. He scored twice against Northwich in the FA Trophy first round as York progressed with a 2–0 away victory, Foyle rating Brodie's first as the "goal of the season". Foyle also stated his desire for Brodie to stay at York, after continued reports of interest from Barrow. Barrow joint-manager David Bayliss said he was unlikely to table a bid for Brodie in January 2009, claiming "If we had a hell of a lot of money we could maybe get him away but we haven't". Foyle responded by saying he had no intention of selling Brodie.
Brodie scored the winning goal for York in a 2–1 away victory over Oxford United in the FA Trophy second round, ensuring their progression to the third round. He scored York's first goal in a 2–1 home win over AFC Telford United in the FA Trophy semi-final second leg, with the tie being won 4–1 on aggregate, which saw the team reach the final at Wembley Stadium. A yellow card picked up against Kidderminster Harriers on 28 March 2009 resulted in Brodie receiving a two-match suspension, meaning he would miss matches against Grays and Oxford, after being booked on 10 occasions during the season. He returned to the team for a 2–1 home defeat to Northwich on 11 April 2009, and during this match he was fouled in the penalty area, with the penalty kick being scored by Mark Robinson. Brodie scored against Weymouth in a 2–1 away victory on 24 April 2009, which ensured York's survival in the Conference Premier. They finished the season 17th in the table. Brodie started in the 2009 FA Trophy Final at Wembley Stadium on 9 May 2009, which York lost 2–0 to Stevenage Borough. He finished the season as York's top scorer with 19 goals in 46 appearances, and in May 2009 the club exercised its option to extend his contract for 2009–10.