Brown ready to show a new boss his worth

He knows the build-up to his Spurs debut will be nothing like the last time he faced Liverpool, the team he supported as a child. He rose to prominence during United's superb Worthington and FA Cup runs last season, scoring freely from midfield, and was in the side that beat Liverpool at Bramall Lane in the first leg of the Worthington Cup semi-final.

Brown recalls what happened before the second leg in Liverpool thanks to wacky manager Neil Warnock. Brown said: "We were in the hotel on the day of the game and he walked in and told us to get our kit on and follow him. We couldn't work out what he was doing but we ended up getting the ferry across the River Mersey. Our training session on the afternoon of the semi-final against Liverpool, was a trip on a ferry.

"I remember us all sat having cups of tea and biscuits in our kit and laughing our heads off. There was no pressure at all and I remember Wayne Allison being seasick over the side of the ferry. That was the type of place Warnock had made United. It was fun. It wasn't a holiday camp but he encouraged us to laugh and he made it a fun place to work. I was a Liverpool fan as a kid and used to love watching John Barnes and Ian Rush. My dad was even born in Liverpool but moved away when he was very young, so to start my Spurs career against them would be something very special."

Warnock certainly got the best out of a player who was hailed as a star of the future when he made his debut at 17 for Manchester City. Alan Ball gave him his debut against QPR only for Brown to be promptly red-carded.

It was his eighth City manager, Joe Royle, who decided his time was up and shipped him out. You sense he still has a point to prove against them and hopes to do so on his birthday on Sunday week in the FA Cup fourth round tie at Maine Road.

He recalled: "I had to work with a new manager every time one came in. We got promotion through the play-offs from Division Two at Wembley in 1999 but, come the start of the next season, I didn't find myself in the squad. I went to see Joe Royle, but he said he wanted to give others a chance. When I went back in, a month later, he said they were doing better than me. I don't think Royle questioned my attitude but he questioned my ability. It was still a wrench to leave, because I'd been there six years, had eight managers, two relegations, one promotion and I was sent off on my debut, so I had an eventful time. Because there were so many managers, I found I had to prove myself time and time again.

"A few people thought there was something wrong with me because I dropped down to Sheffield United. But I went there believing I had something to prove. I played well for two years with no recognition, so I've had to prove myself for a long time."

That he did, as well as scoring regularly. "I have added that to my game. I think it was 22 in 52 games, so it was a great return. Everything we did last season, for both the team and me personally, went really well."

For the moment, he's putting aside all thoughts of having to prove himself to David Pleat's successor - even if it's Giovanni Trapattoni rather than Joe Royle judging his ability - and focusing on making the first team. He said: "You've always got to fight for your place. Maybe I'd have got a start straight away if I was available when Spurs were in the bottom three, but you don't know and have got to get your head down and keep trying. Hopefully I'll have a part to play against Liverpool, but it's up to the manager."