AT the tender age of 20, James Brown has done well to have already been on the books of three North-East clubs - Middlesbrough, Sunderland and Hartlepool United.

But, after shrugging off suggestions he was too small at the Academy of Light and leaving Boro seven years ago fed up with being the only 'kid from this side of the water', Brown's time has come.

In his two and a half years at Victoria Park, after being attracted down to the lower leagues by youth team coach Paul Stephenson, he has always been valued as a player with enormous potential.

It was supposed to have been last season that he was going to make his mark, but a serious knee ligament injury in a pre-season fixture with Hibernian curtailed those hopes.

However, the departure of Adam Boyd to Luton Town this season and the long-standing injury to Joel Porter, meant Brown's first full season has finally been thrust upon him and he has not disappointed.

A striker by trade, yet he has been employed predominantly as a right-midfielder while he builds up his strength by manager Danny Wilson. Nevertheless, he has adapted to the strains of League Two and, barring a major disaster in form, he will end up a promotion winner come May.

"It's been unbelievable in my first professional season to be sitting top of the league at this stage," said Brown, who has scored four goals in 13 outings.

"For a young lad like myself to be looking to grasp an automatic promotion place is a great experience. I expected to be in and around the squad but I have started many games in a row. I'm enjoying every game."

A graduate of the reputable Cramlington Juniors, who famously produced Alan Shearer, were he spent six years.

Despite his Cramlington roots, Brown was a Sunderland fan because of his father, he was disappointed to be discarded on Wearside as a teenager, who had been slow in sprouting to the 5ft 11in height he is now.

He does, of course, harbour ambitions of returning to that level of the game once again. Ideally the first step up the Football League ladder will be taken this season.

"I went to Sunderland for a bit during Peter Reid's time but they knocked me back for being too small. I have shot up a bit since," said Brown, due to start on the right of midfield at Stockport today.

"I love it here at Hartlepool, playing every game, but I just want to take everything as it comes. After missing the majority of last season (after his knee injury), I only made four appearances, and we ended up being relegated so it was majorly disappointing. We have been looking to go straight back up and that would be unbelievable for the team and for me on a personal note."

A victory at Edgeley Park this afternoon will not only increase Hartlepool's hopes of a first piece of silverware in 99 years existence, it will also equal a club record of 21 league matches unbeaten.

"It's a massive game for us," said Brown, who has contributed to breaking another club record of scoring in 20 successive fixtures. "They have been on a run similar to what we were on until they lost to Barnet last weekend.

"They are still going to be very confident but we could go there and win. We have had 17 wins and three draws and that's a fantastic record. We can beat anybody in this league."

Brown could be joined in Pools' midfield by Lee Bullock today, with Antony Sweeney remaining a doubt with a hamstring problem.

Out of favour striker Michael Proctor, meanwhile, was about to join Boston on a month's loan yesterday but that has been put on hold.