Words by David Harrison
Photo by Stuart Tree
With much attention going to Danny Bracken last weekend – quite rightly – to mark his 500 games for Corinthian-Casuals, it also seems appropriate and important, to remember the immense contribution that older brother James has also made to the club.
James came to Corinthian-Casuals as manager in 2015/16, three years after brother Danny had joined. James had enjoyed three highly successful seasons with Sutton United, steering their Reserves to three consecutive Suburban Premier League titles. He picked up no less than seven trophies with Sutton in 2015, as well as winning the Ryman Youth ‘Champion of Champions’ in 2016. During those years James was named by the Non-League Paper as one of the best young managers in the country.
James is now 39, Danny seven years younger. Danny recalls how James was a gifted player, “better than me”. As youngsters both had been on the books of West Ham, James from the age of 10 for three years as a promising right winger. He went on to Wycombe Wanderers for three years as a sweeper then played right wing-back at Woking. But James injured his back working and started coaching at Sutton United, before moving on to Corinthian-Casuals.
Danny assessed his brother’s managerial skills. “His knowledge of the game is outstanding, what each individual and the collective team should do. He’d talk to his assistant Dan Pringle all day on a Friday about the team make-up and tactics. Dedication is the word.”
In September 2017, James was named ‘Mitre Manager of the Month’ for an unbeaten four-week run while Danny was awarded the Bostik League South ‘Safe Hands’ award after Corinthian-Casuals conceded only a single goal in four league fixtures. That is the measure of their joint contribution.
In his seven seasons at Corinthian-Casuals James took the club from languishing in the lower levels of the Isthmian League South, through two play-off final defeats and a points-per-game reprieve, to the Isthmian Premier League in Step 3, where in his final season Casuals finished a comfortable 14th.
James had spoken of his aims: “The mission, set by my own ambitions in 2015, was to get an amateur club promoted to Step 3, then keep them there. I came to do something for me and for a group of young players who needed an opportunity… Here we are seven years later and the last four spent at Step 3.
“Three play-off finishes in our first three years and more penalty shoot-out heartbreaks than any other team – I know it simply galvanised us. That disappointment and pain we all shared only served as motivation to keep us going and do better.
“What I know is none of these are individual awards. Without the support of an incredible staff – words don’t do them justice – none of this would have happened. They have taken every step of the way with me. I’ll always be grateful for the friendship, support and commitment shown by Dan Pringle, Jon Williams, Al Winnett and Carly Doyle.”
James wrote his own farewell on the club website: “Corinthian-Casuals is a special club. You learn that quickly when you’re there and understand what it represents. It’s unique and very much a collective. For that reason I say thank you to Corinthian-Casuals, for the opportunity, for the support, for the experience, for everything.”