Danny Brown insists he is loving life at Eastbourne Borough as he prepares for a glimpse of what he is missing.
Brown returns to former club Cambridge United tomorrow with a bumper crowd expected as Gary Brabin’s men bid to secure their place in the play-offs.
The midfielder enjoyed a successful two and a half years at the Abbey Stadium but does not regret the fact he is not part of United’s bid to win promotion back to the Football League In fact the 28-year-old believes he is playing some of the best football of his career since quitting full-time football and is currently in talks to stay at Borough for the foreseeable future.
Brown said: “I have no regrets at all about leaving Cambridge. I’m looking forward to going back but I’m very much enjoying myself at Eastbourne.
“It is a completely different club to any I have been at before and it is a pleasure to be part of it. The atmosphere is very relaxed and it feels like one big family.
“I’m certain I made the right decision to join Eastbourne. At the time it was a tough call because it meant going part-time but I think that has really benefitted my football.
“When I was at Cambridge I was doing a lot of travelling, feeling tired and picking up a series of injuries so it was obviously getting too much for me.
“Being part-time obviously suits me so I would like to stay at Eastbourne next season and hopefully something will be sorted out soon.”
Borough were hovering just above the relegation zone when Brown arrived and the former Crawley skipper has played a major role in guiding them to safety with plenty to spare.
He was handed the armband while Paul Armstrong was sidelined and has been one of Borough’s most consistent performers over the last five months.
When he first joined, Borough were planning to move to a mixture of part-time and full-time players next season with Brown expected to become the club’s first ever professional.
However, the current economic climate and the number of full-time clubs struggling in Blue Square premier means Borough are almost certain to remain part-time now.
Brown added: “Our aim was to stay up this season and we have done that comfortably so my opinion is if it ain’t broke then why try to fix it.
“It wouldn’t have suited everybody if the club had gone partly full-time and I think remaining part-time is beneficial to more people.
“It is good from my point of view now as well because I have made the decision I don’t want to be a full-time footballer any more.
“All I’ve got to do now is decide what I am going to do as a job because I haven’t got a clue. I’m hoping one of the boys will sort me out with something!”
Jack Jeffery also returns to the Abbey Stadium in the middle of a hot scoring streak.
The West Ham striker has found the net three times in the last two games and will be looking to extend that run at Cambridge, where he spent two months on loan last season.
He is likely to keep his place despite the return of Allan Tait, who is expected to recover from an ankle injury which ruled him out of the 2-2 draw at Altrincham on Tuesday.
Cambridge: Potter, Gleeson, Hatswell, Coulson, Tonkin, McMahon, Carden, Reason, Willmott, Rendell, Holroyd. Subs: Challinor, Ainge, Crow, Phillips, Parkinson.
Eastbourne: Hook, Austin, Baker, Pullan, Jenkins, Wormull, Brown, Armstrong, M Crabb, Jeffery, Tait. Subs from: N Crabb, Harding, Lovett, Smart, Mingle, Jordan.
Follow Borough LIVE at Cambridge at theargus.co.uk/live reports
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