Despite his red cards last season and his injury record, at £1m in todays money, Wes Brown was still an absolute snip. Touted over a decade ago as the finest young defender in the league, Brown unfortunately never quite scaled the heights his ability should have allowed, and his many injuries have surely put paid to that. That said, class is permanent and flows through his cool, calm at times footballing veins, as he has proved unflappable at the heart of Sunderlands defence. While he's not the best or most prolific passer, there is little that fazes him, while his central defensive partner, OShea, looks his age and leggy at times, Brown stands tall and reads danger well. Comparisons could even be made with another of Browns former teammates Rio Ferdinand, and Brown emerged favourably now. Though comparable with age and injury problems over recent years, Ferdinand looks laboured when he runs, and he has lost some sharpness, whereas Brown has grown like a fine wine, only getting better with age and adding more confidence to his game. As a rock in Sunderlands sturdy rear-guard for the majority of last season, how Martin ONeill would have loved to have had him available more during his stint as Sunderland boss, as Browns experience could have made all the difference.
