Almost his entire professional playing career, lasting from 1906 to 1923, was spent with Third Lanark, having joined them from local Junior team Blantyre Victoria[3][4] to replace Jimmy Raeside who had moved to English football.
Brownlie continued to work in his chosen trade as a bricklayer while playing for Thirds[3][5] and maintained a humble outlook despite being an important member of what was one of Scotland's leading clubs of the time (although their best spell, in which they won the Scottish Football League in 1904 and the Scottish Cup in 1905, then reached its final again the following year, narrowly preceded his arrival – his sole honour was a Glasgow Cup in 1908).
He returned in 1934 with the club at a low ebb, one away from bottom of Division Two, and helped to effect a partial revival before he left again in October 1936.
A third and final spell came in season 1938–39, in a dual role with Sam Irving; both men were also appointed as directors of the club at this time.
After leaving his position at Dundee United, Brownlie continued to regularly attend the club's matches and saw the side finally return to Scotland's top division in 1960.