{{short description|Turks and Caicos footballer}} {{for|the Archdeacon of Malmesbury|Christopher Bryan (priest)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Chris Bryan | fullname = Christopher Bryan | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|11|17|df=y}} | birth_place = England | position = Centre-back | height = | youthyears1 = 1975–1977 | youthclubs1 = Thameside Vikings | youthyears2 = 1977–1979 | youthclubs2 = Green Star Petersham | years1 = | clubs1 = KPMG United | years2 = 2016–2020 | clubs2 = SWA Sharks<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://globalsportsarchive.com/people/soccer/chris-bryan/107713/|title = Chris Bryan - Soccer player profile & career statistics - Global Sports Archive}}</ref> | nationalyears1 = 1999–2006 | nationalteam1 = Turks & Caicos Islands | nationalcaps1 = 6 | nationalgoals1 = 2 }} '''Christopher Bryan''' (born 17 November 1960) is a former association football player who played as a defender for the Turks and Caicos Islands national team.

He was educated at Kingston Grammar School, Kingston-upon-Thames, England.

Between 1999 and 2006, he won six caps and scored two goals for his country. He was the first player from the Islands to score in an international fixture. After retiring from playing international football in 2006, he became the President of the Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association.

Bryan continued to play club football and in 2020, aged 59, it was recognised that he is one of only four players, in different top national leagues, older than 50 years who continue their careers and have played at least one game after turning 50.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.iffhs.com/posts/997|title = IFFHS}}</ref>

==International career== Bryan was selected to play in the Turks and Caicos Islands national football team's first ever competitive international match on 24 February 1999.<ref name="rsssf">{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/turkscaicos-recintlp.html|title=Appearances and Goals for Turks and Caicos Islands|website=RSSSF|accessdate=2009-12-22}}</ref> The game, a qualifying match for the Copa Caribe, ended in a 0–3 loss to the Bahamas in Nassau. In the team's following match two days later, Bryan became the first player from the Turks and Caicos Islands to score a goal in international football when he netted both of his side's goals in a 2–2 draw with the US Virgin Islands in Nassau.<ref name="matches">{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablest/turkscaicos-intres-det.html|title=Turks and Caicos Islands - Details on International Matches|website=RSSSF|accessdate=2009-12-22}}</ref>

On 18 March 2000, Bryan played in the team's 0–8 drubbing by St. Kitts and Nevis, which remains the country's biggest ever defeat. He started the match in Basseterre, but was substituted and replaced by Gregory Watts after just 54 minutes.<ref name="matches"/> He went on to win a total of six caps for his country. He represented his country in two World Cup qualification games.<ref>{{FIFA player|176864}}</ref> On 6 September 2006, at the age of 45, Bryan played his final match for the Turks and Caicos Islands.<ref name="rsssf"/> The team lost 2–3 to the Bahamas in Havana in their final match of the 2006–07 Caribbean Nations Cup group stage, which saw them knocked out of the competition.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesc/caribe07.html|title=Copa Caribe 2007|website=RSSSF|accessdate=2009-12-22}}</ref>

In 2015, Bryan was part of the Turks & Caicos Islands national beach soccer team, playing alongside his son Alex.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://boxscorenews.com/fatherson-duo-bolsters-turks-caicos-at-concacaf-beach-soccer-championshi-p117871-112.htm|title = Father/Son duo bolsters Turks & Caicos at CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship}}</ref>

==After football== Following his retirement from international football, Bryan was made General Secretary of the Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association (TCIFA).<ref>{{cite book|last=Oliver|first=Guy|title=FIFA Almanack of World Football 2006|year=2005|publisher=Headline|pages=817|isbn=0-7553-1419-0}}</ref> He later succeeded Thomas Smith as President of the TCIFA.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.concacaf.com/page/NationalAssociationsDetail/0,,12813~1051293,00.html|title=Turks and Caicos Islands|publisher=CONCACAF|accessdate=2009-12-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611072247/http://www.concacaf.com/page/NationalAssociationsDetail/0,,12813~1051293,00.html|archive-date=2011-06-11|url-status=dead}}</ref> Since his appointment as President, Bryan has focused on the improvement of youth football in the Turks and Caicos Islands. In September 2008, he initiated the TCIFA Youth Development Program to encourage youngsters in the country to take up the sport.<ref name="youth">{{cite web|url=http://www.football.tc/?page=press#car|title=TCIFA to Receives Vehicle from Corporate Sponsor|publisher=TCIFA|date=2008-06-17|accessdate=2009-12-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011072958/https://www.football.tc/?page=press#car|archive-date=2017-10-11|url-status=dead}}</ref> During the 2007–08 period, youth participation on the islands increased by 50% compared to the previous year.<ref name="youth"/> Under his presidency, the country entered a team into the FIFA U-17 World Cup qualifiers for the first time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.football.tc/?page=press#fifa|title=Competing on a World Stage: Under 17 Boys National Team Participate in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers|publisher=TCIFA|date=2008-07-25|accessdate=2009-12-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011072958/https://www.football.tc/?page=press#fifa|archive-date=2017-10-11|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was succeeded by Sonia Bien-Aime in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bien-Aime elected as TCIFA President|url=http://www.concacaf.com/article/bien-aime-elected-as-tcifa-president|website=concacaf.com|accessdate=10 October 2017}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{NFT player|pid=16168}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bryan, Christopher}} Category:1960 births Category:Living people Category:Turks and Caicos Islands men's footballers Category:Turks and Caicos Islands men's international footballers Category:KPMG United FC players Category:Men's association football defenders Category:SWA Sharks FC players