Brown delighted to snap up return ticket to Saints
Defender didn’t hesitate to sign two-year deal
SAINTS defender Jaden Brown insists he didn’t have to think twice when he was offered the chance to return to the club on a permanent basis.
The 25-year-old full-back spent last season on loan in Paisley from Lincoln but returned this summer after signing a twoyear deal.
Despite just eight outings during his loan spell, admittedly fewer than he would have liked, Brown needed no convincing to return to St Mirren and rejoin one of the best changing room environments he has experienced.
“I feel like my time here last season, I enjoyed it,” he said. “I wanted to play much more than I did but the environment here and the manager, I didn’t think twice about coming back.
“I’m glad to be back and I’m enjoying my time here. We’ve come back in early and it’s a clean slate for everyone. It’s a massive opportunity now to show how fit I am and how good I believe I am as a player.
“This is one of the best changing rooms I’ve been in. I’ve never been in a place where I want to do so well for my teammates.
“Everyone comes in every day and works hard. We’ve got no egos, everyone is humble and wants to push each other on.
“We’re very honest. If someone’s not doing enough, we tell each other in the right way.
“That’s the environment you want to be in as a player, especially when you’re doing well.”
Such has been Brown’s positive experience at St Mirren that he even helped gaffer Stephen Robinson land central midfielder Dennis Adeniran on an initial one-year deal.
Brown played alongside Adeniran in the England youth international set-up and was also his team-mate at Sheffield Wednesday.
“I’ve been close friends with Dennis since we were 16,” explained Brown. “I had him calling me, saying he was thinking about coming here, and I tried to sell the club as much as I could.
“He’s got comfortable already. Other players knew him and I’m happy to be back with him. We played together at Sheffield Wednesday and with the England under-16s and under-19s.
“He’ll settle in here. He’s a great player and he brings a lot of positivity. He’s always smiling, sometimes for no reason. He’s what we need. He brings that extra energy.”
Brown has made a solid start to pre-season and received plaudits from boss Robinson, as well as credit from the stands over his displays against Dunfermline, Morton and Fleetwood Town.
However, he insists he doesn’t pay attention to outside noise as he remains fully focused on preparations for the team’s first competitive outing of the campaign, which will be next week’s UEFA Conference League second qualifying round tie.
“I tend to stay away from stuff like that,” he said. “Before, at bigger clubs, you do look at what people are saying.
“Dealing with the highs and lows as a footballer, I just concentrate on myself. I just focus on what I need to do to improve and help the team.
“We’ve got Europe coming up. Everyone has got the same buzz.
“I’m excited. I’ve never been involved in Europe, so it will be a first-time experience for me.
“As a kid, everyone wants to play in Europe and take on foreign teams. It’s a great feeling.”