Brian Statham got a start in the first team at Spurs after coming through the youth system, but could not maintain a place among other defenders Spurs brought in.
Born in Harare, Rhodesia (at the time, now Zimbabwe), Brian's family moved to Saudi Arabia and then back to Brentwood in Essex. Sharing his name with an England international cricketer, Brian was also good with bat and ball as a youngster and represented the Essex County Schools side.
Being offered an apprenticeship at Tottenham persuaded Statham to give up the summer game for football and he impressed as a shortish defender, but one who was quick and determined to be as good as taller players in the air. Winning representative honours at Under-20 and Under-21 levels for England, Brian made his first team debut in a side with Ossie Ardiles, Chris Waddle and Paul Allen, coming on as a sub at Southampton on Boxing Day in a 1-2 reverse.
Looked fairly well suited to the top flight, being a hard-tackler with a reasonable passing accuracy, having a low centre of gravity, meaning he could turn quickly if players did get by him. After about 30 first team appearances for Tottenham, he was over-looked in favour of Mitchell Thomas and then fellow youngster Guy Butters.
Brian was sold to Brentford and then he moved on to Gillingham in 1997, playing more than 350 senior competitive games in his career before injury struck and he had to retire from playing league football. But still the desire to play football was there and he stepped down to non-league, where he played and coached at a few clubs, most famously Chesham United, where he learned a lot from experienced non-league manager Bob Dowie.
Took over as manager at Heybridge Swifts in 2005, but resigned his post in 2008, before his appointment to the post of manager of Billericay Town in April 2009.