Midfield Answer?

Midfielder Wayne Brown looks set to pen his contract offer from Mark McGhee early next week and then prove he is worthy of longer than a 6 month deal.

The 23 year old former Fulham youngster has been with the club since 2010 and despite showing glimpses of real quality, his Premier League upbringing hasn't been prevalent consistently. Towards the end of our relegation season in 2011, Brown began to stake a foothold in the first team and alongside JP Kalala and Gavin Williams began to prove his worth. His attacking play and desire to get the ball on the ground excited Rovers fans and he complimented his good performances with goals against Charlton Athletic and AFC Bournemouth. He has a clear lack of presence in midfield due to his 5 ft 6 frame but compensates for this with a ferocious work-rate and a tenacious desire to win the ball. His stock was rising and there were high hopes ahead of our return to League Two last season that Wayne was going to become a key player for us.

It never quite materialised though, as injury decimated his season. He suffered a stress fracture in his ankle and was unable to return until the final 4 matches of the season, limiting the time he had to impress new manager Mark McGhee and earn himself a new deal. He impressed in his substitute appearances and earned his place on the retained list alongside Danny Woodards and Jim Paterson, much to the satisfaction of Rovers fans who still harbour high hopes for the midfielder.

So that brings us on to the question: Is Wayne the answer to our midfield problems?

Mark McGhee has made no secret of his want of a couple of midfielders this summer, fuelling speculation that the centre of midfield is a problem position for him. Brown, Matt Gill and Craig Stanley fought for a starting berth in the middle of the park last season, although the latter could be allowed to leave on a free transfer in the coming weeks, making it difficult to predict who will be in the first team in August. A more creative and goalscoring midfield is hoped for by McGhee, meaning it's very likely any new additions go straight in to the team to replace any of the current crop who failed to net regularly. But, could Brown be the answer to this dilemma after a full pre-season?

His flair and ability could make him the maestro we've been crying out for, but he'll face plenty of competition with the new signings. If he can display his quality on a regular basis then I think he could be the Sammy Igoe type player who got us out of this division last time in 2007. Alongside a more combative, box-to-box midfielder, Brown could be one of the star performers at this level. I wouldn't imagine Matt Gill is the partner that would bring the best from him but it's difficult to look past our captain to start games. Who will form the central midfield partnership (or trio, depending on what formation is deployed)?

I think Wayne Brown has unfulfilled potential that we can use to great effect next year. Hopefully whoever else is brought in can compliment his style so we can utilise his ability.

What do you think? Is Wayne the man to drive us on next year?