WATFORD tracked new loan signing Wayne Brown last season when Graham Taylor, disappointed at the change of heart of Tony Adams, sought to strengthen his defence.

The 24-year-old, Barking-born defender has made 37 appearances for the Ipswich first team, and the majority of those came during the promotion season from Division One.

He has made one appearance this season, appearing in an FA Cup tie, against Dagenham & Redbridge.

He played 17 times for Wimbledon while on loan for three months earlier this season, and last season he was with QPR for two months, making two appearances.

He is no stranger to being loaned out for he made two appearances for Colchester United while they borrowed him in 1997.

Brown came through the ranks at Ipswich, but while keen to get his first-team, career going, he turned down a loan move to Norwich City earlier this season, even though George Burley was prepared to let him go.

"The club never did give a reason but it was always reckoned Wayne did not want to be regarded as a traitor by the fans," said an Ipswich reporter.

The player himself is looking to break into regular first team football.

He said this week: "The situation at Ipswich was that I was stuck in the reserves. I'm trying to plug away and get into their team but I'm finding it pretty hard. So to come down here and to get some first team football would be ideal.

"At the end of the day, I think I'm fighting a lost cause at Ipswich to be quite honest, so I've come down here to try and impress Gianluca, and try to impress whoever's watching really to try and get myself away.

"I just want to come down here and do the best I can for myself, and for the club, to try to get myself away from Ipswich.

"If it comes about that Gianluca would like to sign me then we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Reflecting on his previous three-month loan period at Wimbledon, he said: "I enjoyed my time at Wimbledon very much and I played 17 games for them.

"It was a situation where they would liked to have signed me, but they didn't come up with the money which was unfortunate because I did enjoy my time down there.

"It was one of those things, and you've just got to get on with it. I'm just lucky that I've got another opportunity to impress some other people."

Brown is looking forward to working with Watford's manager and coaches.

"It's exciting, I've heard lots of good things about Gianluca and Ray," he said.

"They're very good coaches and good people to work with so I'm just looking forward to it.

"I don't know a lot about this Watford side to be quite honest.

"I don't know many of the players who are down here, so it's going to be a case of being chucked in at the deep end.

"If I do play then I'll be looking forward to it, and if I do my best then hopefully everything will be okay."