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Brian Paldan Jensen (born June 8, 1975) is a Danish professional football (soccer) player, who plays in the position as goalkeeper for Burnley F.C. in the Football League Championship. Jensen has never played for either the youth or senior Denmark national football team.

Born and raised on Nørrebro, Jensen began playing football as a defender in the youth team of B 93. As the youth team goalkeeper lacked height, the keeper job was given to the "biggest and dumbest" player of the team, according to Jensen himself.^[1] Playing as a substitute to goalkeeper Jan Hoffmann at the B 93 senior team, his goalkeeping talent caught the attention of Dutch outfit AZ Alkmaar when he was named best goalkeeper at a youth tournament in the Netherlands.^[2] He was loaned out from Alkmaar to Danish club Hvidovre IF for eight months, while finishing his electrician education, before going to play as a full-time professional for Alkmaar in February 1998.^[1]

Jensen managed one appearance in the Eredivisie championship, in his time at Alkmaar, serving exclusively as a substitute for Dutch international keeper Oscar Moens. While waiting for his Alkmaar contract to run out, Jensen trained with Division One side West Bromwich Albion, where his imposing 6'2" stature earned him the nickname 'The Beast'. When West Brom first choice keeper Chris Adamson was asked to comment on Jensen, he told reporters he was "nothing but a beast".^[3] Jensen moved to West Brom for £80,000 in March 2000.^[1] He stayed at West Brom for three years, playing a total 50 games and helping the club gain promotion to the FA Premier League in 2002. He moved on in 2003, after West Brom were relegated, finishing 19th in the Premier League.

He joined Burnley on June 30, 2003 on a free transfer. During his first season at Burnley, he was the only goalkeeper on their books. The club avoided relegation by just two points, finishing in 19th position in the last ever season of the Nationwide Football League. He has played 123 games for "the Clarets", putting in some good performances during this time. After the arrival of Danny Coyne in the summer of 2004, he found himself second choice keeper at Turf Moor, but through hard work and two serious injuries to Coyne in two seasons, he earned his place back in the starting line-up. Following impressive form in fall 2004, Jensen critizised national team manager Morten Olsen for not having watched him play, when Jensen thought he had earned a place in the Danish national squad.^[4] One possible explanation is that although he is one of the best shot-stopping goalkeepers in the English league, his kicking is regarded as less assured.

Jensen found himself second choice to Coyne throughout 2004 to 2006, but Coyne's injuries meant that Jensen played most matches. After a run of performances in which Jensen was deemed at fault for a number of goals Burnley manager Steve Cotterill brought goalkeeper Michael Pollitt on loan to Turf Moor in January 2007. In response to being left out of the Burnley team for a match at Southampton, Jensen wanted to leave the club, and on January 22, 2007 Burnley placed him on the transfer list. However, by April of that year, Jensen had not only re-established himself as the club's first-choice but his relationship with Cotterill had improved and he was taken off the transfer list.

1. ^ ^{a b c} Kaspar Steenbach, "Bæstet fra Blågårds Plads", B.T., August 20, 2000
2. ^ Niels Rasmussen, "Det populære udyr", Politiken, March 19, 2001
3. ^ Tommy Heisz and Peter Gisselmann, "Talent: Bæstet i buret", Aktuelt, January 29, 2001
4. ^ Kent Hedlundh, Jensen slams Danish boss, Sky Sports, October 17, 2005

• Career statistics