Brent Sancho

Brent Sancho

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Personal information
Full name	Brent Sancho
Date of birth	(1977-03-13) 13 March 1977
Place of birth	Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Height
Position(s)	Defender
Youth career
1994–1995	Essex Community College
1996–1997	St. John's Red Storm
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1998	Brooklyn Italians
1999	MyPa	1	(0)
1999	Tervarit
1999	Joe Public
2000	Charleston Battery	20	(1)
2001–2003	Portland Timbers	51	(1)
2002–2003	→ San Juan Jabloteh (loan)	20	(1)
2003–2005	Dundee	48	(2)
2005–2007	Gillingham	42	(2)
2007–2008	Millwall	0	(0)
2008	Ross County	2	(0)
2008	Atlanta Silverbacks	8	(0)
2008	North East Stars	2	(0)
2009	Rochester Rhinos	24	(1)
2010	North East Stars	5	(0)
International career‡
1999–2006	Trinidad and Tobago	43	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 October 2009 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 30 June 2008

Brent Sancho CM (born 13 March 1977 in Port of Spain) is a Trinidadian former football player and politician. In February 2015, he became the Minister of Sports for his home country, Trinidad and Tobago.

Playing career

College

Sancho spent his college years playing for St. John's University in New York City, where he was part of the school's only National Championship, in 1996.

Professional

Sancho then spent most of his early career playing in the United States, before joining Dundee in the 2003/04 season. A successful spell in the SPL was followed by a transfer to League One side Gillingham.

In December 2007 Sancho joined Millwall on a month's contract. This was not renewed and he found himself once again without a club until signing for Scottish Football League Division Two champions Ross County, in March 2008 until the end of the 2007–08 season. Sancho went on trial with Wrexham F.C. in July 2008 but was not signed by the club.

On 30 June 2008, the TTFF reported that Sancho had been training with TT Pro League team San Juan Jabloteh and Wrexham in an effort to regain a place with the national team as well as further his professional career. Eventually, Sancho returned to the USA in August 2008, joining the Atlanta Silverbacks and playing in eight matches in the remaining part of the season.

On 26 February 2009 the Rochester Rhinos announced the signing of Sancho to a two-year contract.

International

Sancho played in all three matches in which Trinidad and Tobago took part in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, thus becoming the first former St. John's player and first current Gillingham player ever to play in a World Cup. In the third match, against Paraguay, he scored an own goal and defeat in this game confirmed Trinidad and Tobago's elimination from the tournament.

On 9 October 2006, Sancho announced his retirement from international football along with 12 others. Speaking at a press conference, Sancho said: "It's not just monetary. They have made certain contractual arrangements which they have now reneged on." This followed a dispute between the World Cup players and the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation regarding bonuses for playing in the World Cup. The issue went to court in the United Kingdom which ruled in favour of the players. Several of the players subsequently returned to the national team, but Sancho did not play for T&T after the 2006 World Cup. As of February 2015, the legal dispute between the players and the national association was still ongoing.

Post-playing activities

In 2010, Sancho was the owner/coach of the Trinidad and Tobago Professional Football League club North East Stars, before setting up his own team called Central FC. He handed control of Central FC to the club's co-owner, Kevin Harrison, when he was appointed Minister of Sport.

In 2015, Sancho was appointed Minister of Sport in Trinidad and Tobago.

External links

• Rochester Rhinos bio
• Brent Sancho career statistics at Soccerbase