TORONTO – Cavalry FC’s latest signing Jordan Brown is looking for a fresh start in Canada for both his career, and for the well-being of his young family.

But he knows that his youth career at Arsenal will follow him everywhere he goes.

It comes with the territory of donning the shirt of one of England’s most famous clubs, after all.

Having excelled in the Gunners’ youth ranks, Brown often played with older age groups alongside future stars like Hector Bellerin and Alex Iwobi. He was well on his way, as the old adage goes.

But Brown is more forward-thinking and measured, it seems, in his resolve.

It’s why, fearing he would be lost in the shuffle at Arsenal, Brown decided to swap over to West Ham at 16, where he found his feet and made it up to the Under-23s. It’s also why the “stop-and-start” nature of his post-injury situation at West Ham spurred a transfer to Germany with Hannover 96.

And, most recently, it’s why a move to Cavalry FC seemed so appealing to the 22-year-old, who brings with him playing experiences from around Europe, including a stint with Czech Republic-based outfit, 1. SC Znojmo.

Each of these experiences, up and down, have shaped Brown into the player he is today.

“In London, the mentality is very different: If you’re playing well, people aren’t on your back, really. But in Germany, whether you’re playing well or not, they expect more from you,” Brown told CanPL.ca, as he recalled the earlier days of his career.

“That’s a good thing, in some ways, because you’re always looking to step it up to the next level. Unfortunately, I never got to succeed to that next level.”

He continued: “My time in Czech Republic became more like work and less like a lifestyle – and, I’m not saying that I’m on vacation in Calgary – but when you’re isolated in a culture you don’t know, you fall into thinking only about football. You’re living a job, 24 hours a day.”

So the story goes for a striker now looking to hit the reset button with a fresh start in Canada.

It’s a move spurred on by the birth of his son, who he says has changed his perspective on his career … and his priorities in life. When he was younger, he explained, career decisions were made on the basis of what most benefited himself as a player.

Now? Not so much.

“Although it was only for three or four months, moving to the Czech Republic did really make me see the importance of your family being comfortable with their living situation,” Brown said. “I had to think about my family, not just what was best for me.”

Life in Canada certainly fits the bill, no?

“I have only ever heard positive things about Canada,” Brown affirmed. “Whenever I brought it up to friends or family members, they would always say ‘Canada is a great place to go and raise a family’ and, also, ‘If you go, you may never come back!’

“Hey, the manager, Tommy (Wheeldon Jr.), he moved to Canada when he was also 22 from the UK and he’s never looked back himself. I think that says a lot.”

It took a FaceTime chat with Wheeldon Jr. to convince Brown to make the switch to North America, a market he had been looking to move to for some time. He explained that a move to the Czech Republic was contingent only on the signing of a short-term contract, anyway.

“I was sold the minute I spoke to Tommy, because he seems like a different kind of character to most I’ve met in the past,” Brown said.

“For the last three years, I’ve been living well outside my comfort zone, living away from what I know and what seems normal to me. In my opinion, I thought Canada, and specifically Calgary, would be the best fit for me and my family.”

Now, Brown is looking to take all of his experiences in Europe, coupled with a new perspective on life and football, and apply it, at last, in a meaningful way. Even though the league is new, Brown is confident it can be the perfect platform for his own career.

Other signings around the league have reassured him of that hunch.

“I don’t shy away from these kinds of opportunities and challenges,” Brown said. “I know Marcus Haber doesn’t either: He signed for Pacific FC, and him being an international player and moving back to Canada is a big statement saying to everybody that if he’s going to do it, then a lot of other players should do it as well, because there’s something special happening here.

He hopes his son, now 10 months old, will grow up and see him thrive on the field. He also hopes to see soccer take root across Canada.

“I’ve always dreamt about and thought about being part of a legacy,” Brown said. “Being a part of this legacy is still mind-blowing to me.”

“Even though it’s new, I believe in this.”