Chris Brunt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Chris Brunt

Brunt playing for West Bromwich Albion in 2015
Personal information
Full name	Christopher Colin Brunt
Date of birth	(1984-12-14) 14 December 1984 (age 40)
Place of birth	Belfast, Northern Ireland
Height	6 ft 2 in (1.87 m)
Position(s)	Left winger, left-back, attacking midfielder
Youth career
2001–2002	Middlesbrough
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2002–2004	Middlesbrough	0	(0)
2004	→ Sheffield Wednesday (loan)	6	(2)
2004–2007	Sheffield Wednesday	134	(21)
2007–2020	West Bromwich Albion	382	(44)
2020–2021	Bristol City	12	(0)
Total		534	(67)
International career
2002–2003	Northern Ireland U19	8	(3)
2005–2006	Northern Ireland U21	2	(1)
2005	Northern Ireland U23	1	(0)
2004–2017	Northern Ireland	65	(3)
Managerial career
2024–2025	West Bromwich Albion (caretaker)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Christopher Colin Brunt (born on December 14, 1984) is a football player from Northern Ireland. He used to play as a midfielder. Chris Brunt is now the loan player manager for West Bromwich Albion. Many people think he is one of the best midfielders in the club's history.

Chris Brunt was a very flexible player. He mainly played as a left winger. But he could also play as a left-back or an attacking midfielder. He started his career at Middlesbrough. However, he did not play for their main team. In 2004, he joined Sheffield Wednesday. He played 153 games for them. Then, in 2007, he moved to West Bromwich Albion. There, he played in over 400 matches.

Chris Brunt also played for his country. He played 65 games for the Northern Ireland national team between 2004 and 2017. He also played for Northern Ireland's youth teams.

Chris Brunt's Early Life

Chris Brunt was born and grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He went to Newtownbreda Primary School. Later, he studied at Wellington College Belfast. When he was a young player, he played for Saint Andrew's Boys' Club.

Chris Brunt's Club Career

Playing for Middlesbrough

When Chris Brunt was 16, he had tryouts with professional teams. These teams were Rangers and Middlesbrough. He joined Middlesbrough's youth academy in 2001. A year later, he signed his first professional contract. But he could not get a spot on the main team at Middlesbrough.

Playing for Sheffield Wednesday

Brunt playing for Sheffield Wednesday in 2006

In March 2004, Chris Brunt moved to Sheffield Wednesday. He first joined them for a short time. Soon after, he signed a two-year contract with Wednesday for free.

In the 2004–05 season, Chris Brunt played his first full season with the club. He helped Wednesday get promoted to the Championship. He scored five goals that season. Four of those goals were in the league. In July 2005, he extended his contract for another year.

He scored seven goals in the next season. This made him the club's top goal scorer. During the 2005–06 season, he also played his 100th game for Wednesday. This made him the most experienced player at the club then.

In July 2007, Chris Brunt had only one year left on his contract. Talks between him and Wednesday stopped. The club said his demands for wages were "too high."

Playing for West Bromwich Albion

Joining the Top League (2007–2010)

West Bromwich Albion made an offer for Chris Brunt. The offer was accepted on August 14, 2007. He signed with them the next day for £3 million. This was a four-year deal. Brunt played his first game for Albion on September 1, 2007. He came on as a substitute in a 2–0 win against Barnsley. He scored his first goal for the club on September 22, 2007. This was in a 3–2 win against Scunthorpe United.

On March 1, 2008, Chris Brunt played very well in a 3–0 win against Plymouth Argyle. Because of this, he was named in the Championship Team of the Week. On April 28, 2008, Brunt scored a late goal against Southampton. The game ended in a 1–1 draw. This goal helped Albion get promoted to the Premier League. This was because their goal difference was much better. He then scored a free kick in West Brom's 2–0 win over Queens Park Rangers (QPR). This win officially secured their promotion.

Chris Brunt was the top scorer for West Brom in the 2008–09 season. He scored nine goals. But this season ended sadly for Brunt and his team. The club was relegated, finishing in last place. He was named the club's Player of the Year for that season.

He had his best goal-scoring season in the 2009–10 season. He scored 13 goals in 43 games. Chris Brunt again helped the club reach the top league in English football. He scored a goal in a 3–2 win against Doncaster on April 10, 2010. This win secured the club's Premier League spot. In July 2010, Brunt signed a new three-year contract. This kept him at the club until the summer of 2013.

Becoming Club Captain (2011–2014)

In January 2011, Chris Brunt became the stand-in captain. The manager decided to drop the previous captain, Scott Carson. When Roy Hodgson became the manager in February 2011, he made Brunt the permanent captain. He signed another three-year contract in August 2011. This was because he was playing so well.

He stayed as club captain even after a new coach was appointed. This happened when Hodgson left to manage the England national team.

Chris Brunt helped the team finish 8th in the 2012–13 season. This was the highest the club had ever finished in the Premier League. They also got a record number of points (48). He scored two goals that season. His first was a long shot from 30 yards at QPR. Albion won that game 2–1. His second goal was from the edge of the box in a 2–2 draw at home against Aston Villa.

Alan Irvine became West Brom manager in the summer of 2014. He confirmed that Brunt would remain as club captain. On August 10, 2014, Brunt signed a new three-year deal. This kept him at the club until the summer of 2017.

Injuries and Comebacks (2015–2020)

Brunt (left) applauding the West Bromwich Albion supporters at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium in May 2015

Chris Brunt gave up the captaincy to new player Darren Fletcher. Fletcher, who used to play for Manchester United, became captain on February 8, 2015. This was in a match against Burnley. On May 18, 2015, Brunt was hit in the head by a ball kicked by Cesc Fàbregas. This happened in a match against Chelsea. Fàbregas was sent off because of it.

On February 20, 2016, a West Brom supporter threw a coin at Chris Brunt. It hit him in the face during an FA Cup match against Reading. Brunt was very upset by this. He said it was "disgusting" if people thought it was okay to throw coins at players.

Chris Brunt returned to playing after eight months. He had an anterior cruciate knee injury. He came back in a 1–1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur on October 15, 2016. He scored his first goal of the 2016–17 season on December 3. This was in a 3–1 home win over Watford. This ended a long time without a goal for him. His second goal came on January 2, 2017. It was in a 3–1 home win against Hull City. He headed the ball in from a Matt Phillips corner kick. Twelve days later, he played his 300th league game. He also made his 200th Premier League start for West Brom. This was against Tottenham Hotspur. On February 9, 2017, Brunt signed a new contract. It kept him at the club until the summer of 2018. There was also an option for another year if he played enough games. In August 2017, he played his 500th career game in club football against Burnley. The next month, he played his 350th game for Albion against Watford.

In his last game for West Brom, Chris Brunt helped them get promoted to the Premier League. This was with a 2–2 draw against Queens Park Rangers. He left West Bromwich Albion in the summer of 2020. He had been with the club for 13 years. Chris Brunt holds the record for most Premier League appearances for Albion. He played 269 times for the club in that competition.

Playing for Bristol City

After leaving West Brom, Chris Brunt signed with Championship team Bristol City. This happened on September 7, 2020. He signed a one-year deal.

On January 3, 2021, Chris Brunt left Bristol City. They both agreed to end his contract. This was because of an injury that would keep him out for most of the rest of the season.

In May 2021, he announced that he was stopping playing professional football.

Chris Brunt's International Career

Chris Brunt played 65 games for the Northern Ireland national team. He scored his first goal for his country in February 2009. His free kick helped Northern Ireland win 3–0 against San Marino. In April 2012, it was said that Brunt was in the possible squad for the Great Britain football team at the 2012 Olympics. But he was not chosen for the final team of 18 players.

He could not play in Euro 2016. This was because he hurt his anterior cruciate ligament and needed surgery. On November 11, 2016, Chris Brunt returned to play for Northern Ireland. This was for a 2018 World Cup qualification match against Azerbaijan. He got a head injury early in the game. But he recovered and helped his teammate Gareth McAuley score a goal. Brunt then scored the last goal in a 4–0 win.

He announced that he was retiring from international football in August 2018.

Chris Brunt's Coaching Career

In March 2021, Chris Brunt went back to West Bromwich Albion. He became an academy coach. The next year, he was made the club's loans manager.

West Bromwich Albion (Interim Manager)

In December 2024, the manager Carlos Corberán left West Bromwich Albion. Chris Brunt then became the temporary manager. His first game in charge was a 2–1 loss against Derby County.

Chris Brunt's Personal Life

Chris Brunt became a father for the first time on May 1, 2008. His wife Cathy gave birth to a baby boy named Charlie. The couple then had a second child, Zach David Brunt, on April 18, 2011. Chris Brunt is a cousin of the Canadian ice hockey player Shawn Thornton.

Chris Brunt's Career Statistics

Club Games and Goals

International Games and Goals

Northern Ireland score listed first, score column indicates score after each Brunt goal.

List of international goals scored by Chris Brunt

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition	Ref.
1	11 February 2009	San Marino Stadium, Serravalle, San Marino	22	San Marino	3–0	3–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
2	11 November 2016	Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland	55	Azerbaijan	4–0	4–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
3	4 September 2017	Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland	61	Czech Republic	2–0	2–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification

Managerial Statistics

Chris Brunt's Awards and Achievements

Sheffield Wednesday

• Football League One play-offs: 2005 (Won promotion through play-offs)

West Bromwich Albion

• Football League Championship: 2007–08 (Champions); runner-up: 2009–10, 2019–20 (Finished second)

Individual Awards

• West Bromwich Albion Player of the Year: 2008–09

See also

In Spanish: Chris Brunt para niños