Arnett Gardens’ striker Warner Brown has been given a golden opportunity to stake a claim in Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz team after impressing head coach Steve McClaren with his goalscoring exploits in the local Premier League.

Brown who starred for St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) in the Manning Cup and Tivoli Gardens FC, has been having a dream season banging in 18 goals from 26 games to be top of the goalscoring chart.

Brown’s efforts have not gone unnoticed and he has been given the task of filling the void left by injured striker Michail Antonio as Jamaica prepares to play two CONCACAF Gold Cup qualifying games against St Vincent and the Grenadines on March 21 and 25.

“I watched quite a bit of Warner Brown before the camp a few weeks ago. I liked him in camp. He’s a goal scorer,” said McClaren.

“The game we went to see him… he scored a hat trick so it was quite easy to include him in that squad and he’s one of them who I think can help us,” McClaren emphasized.

That game McClaren was referring to is Arnett Gardens versus Tivoli Gardens and Brown made a cameo appearance after entering the game as a substitute.

Tivoli Gardens were leading 3-1 in the 69^th minute when Brown netted in the 70^th, 72^nd and 78^th minute, propelling Arnett Gardens to a come-from-behind 5-3 win in arguably the game of the season.

“He’s a goal scorer. He’s quick. He runs behind and he’s got an eye for goal and we haven’t got in the number nine position, anywhere in the UK or even on the island who really stand out strikers that we can pick.

“Shaman Nicholson comes in. Antonio was obviously our number one. Romario Williams, was also effective in the two games I liked him, but, unfortunately, we can’t get him,” McClaren explained. “So, the number nine is a position in which we need to find that hidden gem. So, Warner Brown has got an opportunity, this week in the two games to seal a place”.

Coach Phillip Williams who nurtured Brown’s precarious talent while at STATHS, said he was extremely happy for him and his achievements.

“Getting a national call-up has always been his dream. I think it was robbed of him from the U-17 level when he was one of the top centre forwards at the time,” Williams pointed out. “I know he works very hard and I hope for him a good performance so that he will become a permanent name on the national roster. He has the right attitude, the required skill sets and should do himself and all those who helped in his development proud.”

The 22-year-old who stands at five feet 11 inches, played for Major League Soccer Next Pro team, Rochester NY, on loan from Tivoli Gardens in 2022 before moving to Slovenian club NS Mura in 2022/23.

He returned to Jamaica in 2023 where he joined Arnett Gardens and has been kicking up a storm and now he gets the chance of a lifetime to make an impression on the coaching staff and more importantly, solidify his spot in the Reggae Boyz squad.