He played youth football in the Hemel area and spent the 1958–59 season with Luton Town's junior side before moving to Watford.
[2] He was prolific in the reserves,[3] but did not make his senior debut until October 1960, when he scored in a 5–2 loss to Derby County in the League Cup.
[4] After two seasons with Worcester City, during which he scored 51 Southern League goals, and 87 in all competitions,[6] Fairbrother joined Peterborough United for a £5000 fee.
Worcester did not want to sell, and their supporters' club offered to pay £2000 towards keeping him, but the player was determined to return to the Football League.
[9][10] Mansfield Town signed Fairbrother a month into their 1971–72 season in the Third Division, at which point they had not scored a league goal at home.