PLAYER PROFILE

Wes Brown

Position: Defence

Height: 6'1

Weight: 11st 11lbs

Date of Birth: 1979-10-13 Manchester, England

Wes Brown

A born and bred Mancunian, Wes Brown has been an important part of Sir Alex Ferguson's United squad for many years.

After signing professional terms in November 1996, Brown made his debut for the club as an 18-year-old in May 1998, coming on as a substitute in a 3-0 victory over Leeds at Old Trafford. A week later he was given his full debut in a 2-0 win over Barnsley.

The following season saw Brown establish himself in the first-team squad, making several appearances for the club both at right-back and in his preferred role at centre-back. By the end of the season he had also made his debut for England in a 1-1 draw against Hungary.

Manchester United won the treble that season and it appeared that Brown was starting to form a promising partnership in central defence alongside Dutchman Jaap Stam. But a number of injuries meant that Brown failed to make a single appearance for the club during the 1999/2000 season.

The 2000/2001 campaign saw Brown make a strong comeback and earn praise from boss Ferguson. He followed it up with another good campaign in 2001/2002 and earned a place in England's 2002 World Cup squad.

Injury problems in seasons since have restricted his appearances for England but has still played a big part in the Manchester United team. The arrival of Nemanja Vidic at Old Trafford pushed him out of the reckoning for a regular place at the heart of the defence, but Brown still got plenty of football in the latter part of the 2006/07 season as United suffered a defensive injury crisis.