HULL City are leading the chase to sign Wayne Brown, although for the moment the experienced defender is still very much a Colchester United player, writes Carl Marston.

By Carl Marston

HULL City are leading the chase to sign Wayne Brown, although for the moment the experienced defender is still very much a Colchester United player, writes Carl Marston.

Brown handed in a written transfer request on Tuesday, following a meeting with owner Robbie Cowling. The U's have refused permission for the 29-year-old to speak to any interested clubs, but the player's future remains up in the air.

“Nothing much has changed in the last 24 hours. I'm keeping an open mind. The club have been in communication with me, but there has been no further offer yet,” revealed Brown last night.

“It'd difficult to say what will happen, and it's still early days to say whether I will still be at the club for the new season.

“However, I've had a fitness work-out with the squad today, and pre-season training starts in earnest on Monday.

“As it stands, I'm still a Colchester United player, so I will be reporting in for training with the rest of the lads,” added Brown.

Former Ipswich Town man Brown had a superb last season in the Championship, helping the U's to finish 10th in the table. He played every minute of every game.

Brown still has a year to run on his current two-year contract, but he wants the chance to speak to other clubs.

He told the EADT earlier this week: “I think that I've been a good servant to the club, but now is the right time for me to move on.

“I believe that interest has been shown from another club, and I would like to be given the opportunity to speak to them. It is a decision that I haven't taken lightly.”

U's manager Geraint Williams had a chat with Brown during yesterday's fitness session.

Williams said: “The situation with Wayne is that we are talking to him about extending and improving his contract.”

Hull are on the look-out for a couple of centre-halves, although manager Phil Brown refused to be drawn on the subject of his interest in his namesake yesterday. He is also believed to be chasing Portsmouth's Andy O'Brien.

The Tigers are currently on a training camp in Italy. Richard Garcia, who signed for Hull from Colchester at the beginning of this week, is with them.

Centre-half Brown, meanwhile, was delighted to learn of Teddy Sheringham's move to Colchester on a one-year deal on Wednesday.

Brown said: “Teddy has a lot of experience and he's a very high-profile signing. He still wants to do well in the game, and he makes me feel a lot younger already!”