Newly-appointed captain Danny Brown is relishing the prospect of leading the U's into the new season.

A hard-working and competitive presence in midfield, Danny was manager Jimmy Quinn's first permanent signing in November 2006 after being released by cash-strapped Crawley Town.

He started out at Leyton Orient but before he had made his first team debut he was snapped up at the age of 18 by Barnet for £40,000. 74 league appearances, eight goals, two play-off campaigns and a relegation later he moved on for two seasons with Oxford United before joining Crawley in the summer of 2005, where he became captain until financial problems struck.

After an influential first season with United, Danny signed a contract extension to 2009 at the beginning of July and was also named as the new captain. One of his first acts was to lead the players in their pre-season week with the army, working on team bonding and fitness, and he describes the whole pre-season period as "very positive".

"The week at the army camp was good. There were no home comforts, to say the least, but we had a lot of new players so it was good to get everyone together early doors and it served a purpose. It was for team bonding and that's what it did. It got everyone to know each other and it was a good week away.

"What the army do, which is a clever tactic, is to make things fun so you want to do more. You are working hard but when there's a fun element in it then you don't mind doing it. If it was just 'work, work, work' then it would become a chore."

Although he was captain at Crawley, Danny admits that the role is different here at the Abbey: "It's working out really well. There's a lot of stuff to do that I didn't know about, but this is a pretty big club so there are a lot of off-the-field activities that you have to do as well.

"At Crawley all I had to do was make sure the lads were fine and that was it. Here I speak with the press every other day and there's loads to do, but I'm enjoying being captain and I've got no complaints."

Comparing this season's squad with last season's, the 26-year-old believes the squad is stronger now: "We have a decent mix of players whereas last season we were all over the place, to be honest. Towards the end of the season we got a team together and went on a run, and as long as we can get a good start I think we'll be all right with the players we've got this time."

Like Courtney Pitt and Rob Wolleaston, tonight's opponents Oxford are one of Danny's former clubs but he says there is no real difference between playing them or any other side.

"It seems a big deal when you've just left the club and find yourself going back a couple of months later," he says, "but I left there a couple of years ago now and most of the people have changed.

"Of the ones I knew, I still speak to the physio there and Darren Patterson is still there and I think he's the assistant manager now, and there are a few people in the offices, but in terms of players I don't think there's anyone left that I played with."

Danny left Oxford United in 2005 to join Crawley Town and he admits that he has been surprised by Oxford's demise since then.

"They had a big squad when I was there and the year I left they signed even more players when Brian Talbot went in, and they were paying big money too, so to see them get relegated at the end of that season just shows that no club is too big to go down.

"I think that was the feeling just after Christmas - "They won't go down, the club's too big" - but obviously it isn't."

Tonight is the first time Setanta TV cameras will be at the Abbey Stadium to put the club in the spotlight as part of their Blue Square Premier coverage this season, but the U's skipper will try to treat the game as normally as possible.

"The Gaffer's told us that there will be TV cameras literally everywhere and they will be trying to interview us at every opportunity. We really just want to get on with the match, but you have to do the publicity side of the game as well because as a footballer you are an entertainer and there are things you have to do."

An uncompromising figure on the pitch, it may not come as a big surprise to learn that Danny's choice of hobby away from the pitch is more physically challenging than golf, the choice of many footballers.

"I started off kickboxing and now I've moved on to Muay Thai, which is Thai Boxing," he reveals. "It's really good for fitness; I trained all through the summer and when I get a day off I usually go training and maybe on a Sunday, and it's mainly about fitness and learning a different sport."

Danny also became a father for the second time 12 days ago, welcoming Maddox as a little brother for one year old Jackson.

"My house is a bit of a mad house at the moment," he admits, "and I'm also in the middle of moving house so it's a true fun factory!"

We also asked Danny some questions from supporters, starting with one from Matt who asks, "Now that you are the captain, the manager has said that you and he discuss various things - how do those discussions take place?"

Danny: "Well, he calls them discussions but he basically calls me in his office, tells me what he wants, and I have to go and relay it to the players! No, not really - he'll tell me what he wants and how he wants it done and then he'll ask if I've got any feedback and how are the players feeling and then I'll tell him what I think.

"Sometimes it doesn't go down so well, sometimes it does, but I'll tell him the truth because that's what I'm there for."

Millsy asks, "Congratulations on the new arrival. Your job is as a footballer but, in the context of your life, what importance does football hold? Is it merely your profession, or more?"

Danny: "That's a very deep question! Football probably means more than just my profession, for the simple fact that playing for Cambridge last year was probably costing me more than I earned, so I obviously do it for more than a profession and I do it because I enjoy it.

"What other job can you do like this? And it's a good lifestyle if you're winning. If you're losing then it's the worst job in the world."

Dozzer asks: "There have been pictures of you dressed in some savage looking indie threads - does your music taste match your dress sense?"

Danny: "That would be true! I am a rocker, I enjoy indie music and I go to music festivals and stuff."

Dozzer also asks: "Who are your favourite artists?"

Danny: "Kasabian, Kings of Leon, The Enemy, all sorts. I'm looking forward to the V Festival - I shall be there."

Dozzer's final question: "What's the worst injury you've given someone on or off the pitch?"

Danny: "Unfortunately, and I hope it never happens again, but I did break someone's leg on the pitch. And off the pitch, obviously when Thai Boxing, I kicked someone in the head and split their eye open. This is a crazy interview!"

We ended with Danny's thoughts on the season ahead...

"To be honest, as long as we don't do anything near what we did last year that will be a good start, but I just want to win football matches. We've got a decent team together and hopefully we'll win football matches, get the crowd on our side, get the gates up and get a buzz around the football club.

"I don't like thinking about injuries but with a squad of our size and a football season is a long time, then I suppose you have to hope that if you get injuries you get them at the 'right time', so one player gets injured as another one is coming back. As long as you can keep a degree of consistency in the team and you get a winning mentality then you'll be all right.

"We need to go into games the way we ended the season, and we'll be all right with the players that we've got. We need to go into every game with a rugged attitude and close teams down and break them down, and then you let your players play."

He concludes, "Everyone is feeling very positive and fit and ready to go. It's obviously a shame about Chilli getting injured last week but we've got a good bunch of lads, we haven't got any bad eggs and everyone is getting on well.

"We've all been working as hard as we can to not have a season like last season, and who knows how well we can do at the other end? Of all the leagues, this has to be the most unpredictable but we're feeling good and we're all working hard to do our jobs to the best of our abilities."

Andrea Thrussell
web@cambridge-united.co.uk

*This interview was also published in the programme for the match against Oxford United on Thursday 16th August, 2007

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