James Brown

By Clarence Rode
July 16 2008

It's often dangerous to read too much into team selections and performances in pre-season friendlies, but that doesn't stop fans from doing it every year. And there were quite a few signals from Hartlepool's opening friendly at Greenock Morton, where they won 2-1 thanks to a last-minute goal from Antony Sweeney.

Sweeney (right) got the winner, but it was James brown who was at the centre of most post-match attention as manager Danny Wilson declard that the 21-year-old is now ready to switch from a wide position to the centre of the attack.
Brown has looked impressive during his two years of development on the right of midfield, so mjiuch so that he has regularlky been linked with moves to bigger clubs.
But now boss Wilson says Brown is physically ready for the battering stikers often have to take and he certainly looked the part at Morton, where he played alongside Joel Porter in attack and scored the opening goal.
Brown's deflected 25-yard shot gave Pools the lead on the half-hour, Steve Masterson equalized from the edge of the area and Sweeney's good finish gave Pools their late win.
Wilson told the Hartlepool Mail: "We have nursed James through a little bit the last two seasons in the positions we have played him.
"I think he has come to a time in his career now where he can go up top which is his best position.
"He comes off defenders very well and has got a fantastic technique and awareness about him. He is getting a little bit cuter in how he does things and understanding about when people are going to kick him."
Players like Richie Humphreys, Jan Budtz and Gary Liddle weren't used, but in a busy pre-season their time will presumably come. Matty Robson started at left-back, while the two starting centre-backs were Danny Collins and Ben Clark, with on-trial keeper Derek Soutar, freed by Aberdeen, playing in the second half in place of Arran Lee-Barrett.
Other half-time changes were: Sweeney for Andy Monkhouse, Richard Barker for David Foley, Alan Power for Willie Boland, Michael Nelson for Clark and Michael Mackay for Joel Porter.
The verdict after one game: so far, so good. Brown up front is a great prospect, Richie Jones looks a top signing, and the footy Pools played in the first half was very encouraging.