STRIKER David Brown will have been many things on his arrival for his first day's training with new club Hereford United but overawed would certainly not be one of them.

Respected Conference professionals as they are, the likes of Paul Parry, Tony James and Matt Baker are not quite in the league of Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs and David Beckham.

Brown fulfilled many a schoolboy fantasy by signing as a professional at Manchester United where he spent three years from aged 16-19.

Five years on Brown still has fond memories of his time at Old Trafford mingling with some of the most famous footballers in the world.

And the former Telford United frontman, made sure his footballing education benefited along the way.

"If you can't learn anything from playing with players of the quality of Eric Cantona you might as well hang up your boots, it was a fantastic experience," said Brown.

"They all had good attitudes and things I learned then I'm still trying to bring into my game now."

However despite the buzz of training with such established stars Brown faced a dilemma common to many a young player at Old Trafford - trying to break into first teamers.

Even for the most talented such as Luke Chadwick, currently plying his trade with Reading, it is no easy task to dislodge the established kings of Old Trafford.

"It was a great experience and I was in the reserve squad but felt I needed a change because at the time there was Andy Cole, Teddy Sheringham, Dwight Yorke plus Ole Gunnar Solksjaer in front of me," said Brown.

"I wanted to play first team football but it was clearly going to be difficult at Manchester so I decided I had to move and had three enjoyable years at Hull where we made the play-offs.

"It was a great achievement for a club like Hull but they have got a fantastic fan base."

Edgar Street is a long way from the Theatre of Dreams but Brown, currently sidelined with a broken collarbone is glad to have made the move from Telford.

"I'd played against Hereford three or four times and they've always been a team that plays good football which is something that I want from a team," he added.

"I don't want to play for a team that hits long balls - that's not my game.

"I met Graham Turner, liked what he was saying and with the need for a fresh challenge felt this was the right move."

l Above . . . Paul Parry a highly respected Nationwide Conference professional.

l Right . . . David Brown glad he's made the move to Edgar Street from Telford United.