Why managing Peterborough Sports has made Phil Brown the happiest he's ever been in football
Peterborough Sports boss Phil Brown insists he has never been happier in a career that has spanned close to 2,000 games.
That appears to be a strong statement from a 66 year-old who has managed in the Premier League, but Brown finally believes he has his work/life balance spot on since joining Sports earlier this season. He also insists he is now working for the most supportive chairman of his long career in club owner Tim Woodward.
Brown insists keeping a city side punching above their weight at National League North level would be a great achievement, even for a man who has managed in the top six divisions in English football as well as for a time in India.
Sports look to climb away from the relegation zone on Tuesday night when hosting Bedford Town at PIMS Park (7.45pm kick off).
Brown told the BBC: "Did I want to come back to this level? No, but football has a weird way of playing its hand and I'm now here, working with one of the most supportive chairmen I've ever worked with.
"Everybody remembers managing at the highest level with Hull City, but if I did something here with Peterborough Sports, there's no doubt in my mind it would be a great achievement.
"If I can keep Peterborough Sports in this division, which is our first goal, then it's all about next year and can we get promoted? Can we move this club on?
"I started a young family not so long ago and life outside football is important as well. I never seemed to have the balance right all the way through my footballing career, which must be 2,000 games or so as a player, coach and manager, but if you can get that balance right, I think you're a better manager, there's no doubt about that.
"I think I've got that balance right now and that's probably the reason why I'm the happiest I've been in football.
"I saw David Pleat watching a Peterborough United Under 23s game recently and he said 'how are you dealing with them being part-time?' He actually gave me something that I'm going to try to use, just a little snippet of information that he used when he was a part-time manager in non-league football.
"I didn't realise he had gone into part-time football, but it was in the early stages of his career not at the end. I don't want it to be the end of my career, I want this to still be a platform for getting back to the Football League."