One of the most talented players to have represented the Club, Brown has always been tipped for a big future in the game.

Injury has so far hampered his progress and he's suffered the misfortune of two cruciate ligament ruptures in his young career, the first in the pre season of 2005 and the latest in November 2008.

He battled back from the first setback to make his First Team debut in April 2006 and then played a key role on the right side of midfield in the 2006/2007 promotion season, scoring seven goals and being named Supporters' Young Player of the Year.

However, that simply acted as the starting point for the skilful young star who went on to hit the net thirteen times as Pools re-estabished themselves in League One in 2007/2008.

He looked certain to overhaul that figure after getting off to a fine start last season, deployed in a more attacking role he had already scored eight times before injury ended his campaign prematurely.

During 2009/2010 he was again struck by the injury curse, this time missing three months after knee cartilage surgery.

An ankle injury confined Brown to the treatment table for a period last term but he is confident he has put the worst of his problems behind him and can concentrate on recapturing the form that saw him singled out as one of the hottest properties in the division.

Signed from Cramlington in 2004, Brown pledged his future to the Club by signing a new contract in 2009 despite rumours circulating about interest from the Championship.