Cheltenham Town: 'The gaffer's told me I will be number one' - Brown

SCOTT Brown will start next season as Cheltenham Town's number one, but the goalkeeper says it will not affect the way he goes about his business.

The 27-year-old turned down offers from two other clubs to sign a new two-year deal on Friday, which will extend his spell with the Robins to a decade.

Having spent two long periods of last term as second choice to England Euro 2012 squad member Jack Butland, Brown finished the season with a string of impressive displays following Butland's recall by parent club Birmingham City.

It was the first time Brown had been seriously challenged for the starting position since Shane Higgs left the club during the 2008/09 campaign.

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Brown's response to Butland's arrival and his subsequent play-off heroics earned much praise from boss Mark Yates, who has assured him he will be first choice when the action gets under way again in August.

"The gaffer has said I will be number one and I am obviously pleased, but it won't change the way I approach the season," Brown said.

"Jack came in and did very well last season, so fair play to him and it's a credit to the gaffer and (goalkeeping coach) Steve Book that we had him here and now he's in the England squad.

"But if you look at the stats, we had a similar goals per game conceded ratio and I think that shows it was not about who played in goal. I was pleased with my performances.

"I had offers from two other clubs to be number two, but playing and staying close to my family in Wolverhampton were both important for me."

Brown produced a breathtaking display in the play-off semi-final second leg at Torquay, keeping the home side out in the first half and paving the way for Cheltenham's eventual 4-1 aggregate success.

He also had a sound game against Crewe Alexandra in the final at Wembley, but was powerless to prevent goals from Nick Powell and Byron Moore taking the Railwaymen into League One.

Ahead of his ninth season at Cheltenham, Brown is keen to help the club go one step further and return to League One after a four-year absence.

"It's weird thinking I'll have been at Cheltenham for ten years and it makes me feel old, but I am only 27," he said.

"The gaffer has said after losing out in the play-offs we should be aiming to win the league and if we can be up there again it would be a great achievement.

"We had one bad spell last season, during March, but one month out of nine or ten isn't bad. We just have to go again and I am looking forward to it."

Brown has made 155 Football League starts for Cheltenham, along with one substitute appearance.

If he is ever present next season he will become the sixth player to pass 200 Football League starts, following Jamie Victory, Shane Higgs, David Bird, John Finnigan and Michael Duff.