Portsmouth defender determined to test himself in Championship

The left-back moved to Fratton Park to fulfil his ambitions of playing in the second tier '“ and believes the Blues can achieve promotion this season. 

Kenny Jackett's troops sit at the summit of the League One table and look to maintain their title charge at Scunthorpe today (3pm). 

Brown has been a key player for the table-toppers this campaign, having featured in every league game so far. 

The chirpy defender arrived on the south coast from Bristol Rovers in June.

Now entering the peak years of his career, the 28-year-old feels he's ready to make the jump up to the higher level.

Brown said: '˜Ambition-wise this football club has got the potential to get promoted '“ without a shadow of doubt.

'˜I obviously took that into consideration when I arrived here in the summer.

'˜As a full-back it's tough. You've got to get established in a side and win promotion.

'˜There aren't many full-backs who get a move unless you're at the top, top end.

'˜You look at Nathan Thompson, who has played at a similar sort of level as myself throughout his career.

'˜For me, I think he can play in the Championship, no problem, but he's never really had that breakthrough to do it.

'˜It's tough as a full-back to get that move into the Championship or a higher level.

'˜You have got to get promoted with a club where you have established yourself.

'˜I'm at the stage of my career where in the next two or three years I'll be playing my best football '“ hopefully anyway.

'˜You just get more experienced. You know where to be and the positions to be in.

'˜If a footballer doesn't want to test themselves at the next level then you shouldn't really be playing and there is a problem.

'˜Everyone should want to test themselves. If you're good enough then you'll be told when you get there eventually.'

Brown has featured in the Championship during his career '“ albeit a brief substitute appearance as a 19-year-old during QPR's 2009-10 promotion-winning season.

He also climbed out of the National League and League Two with Bristol Rovers.

And Brown wants to capture that promotion feeling again at Pompey.

'˜I've actually played for 1min 30sec in the Championship so I'm a Champ baller!' he quipped.

'˜I've witnessed it from being a squad player at QPR, getting promoted from the Championship to the Premier League.

'˜As a squad player and a young pro I saw the quality you need to get promoted.

'˜When I was a young lad, I stood in the tunnel and saw them promoted '“ I watched it and wanted that.

'˜It looked so good being part of a promotion and luckily enough I've had two already.'