Defender Wayne Brown has urged his Leicester City team-mates to believe they can achieve promotion this season.

The 32-year-old defender said the solid first half of the season City have enjoyed, and their lofty position in the play-off places, must act as motivation for the players to keep progressing during the second half of the campaign.

Brown, who has recovered from injury and is vying to return to the starting line-up on Sunday against Ipswich Town, is looking forward to the second half of the season.

"If the players don't believe now that we can achieve something in the league then they will never believe," he said.

"I think they have given the fans some belief as well. Now we need to get everyone together, to sing from the same hymn sheet, fans and players, staff and the chairman, and let's hope we can push on and get what we all want, which is promotion.

"It has been like any other season in that we have dropped points when we shouldn't have, and probably picked up some when people may have thought we wouldn't, like at Middlesbrough and QPR. It has been a decent half to the season but there is always room for improvement and that is what we will be looking to do in the second half of the season.

"Individually, I have had a chance to build on my performances. I have managed to stay in the team and my performances have been good enough to stay in the team.

"When you are in the team for a period it does give you the opportunity to build on performances and get better and sharper.

"I feel that is what I have done as the season has gone on. I feel I have been lucky to captain the team as well when Matt Oakley was absent. That was a great honour."

Brown may have to be content with a place on the substitutes' bench against his former club, as Michael Morrison has deputised superbly alongside Jack Hobbs at the heart of the City defence in his absence.

Ryan McGovern also stepped in as an emergency centre-back against Sheffield United on Boxing Day when Hobbs limped off.

"The young lads have done exceptionally well, especially Michael and Ryan against Sheffield United," said Brown.

"They say a week is a long time in football and they are not wrong. Everything can turn on its head in a week, but the lads that did come in did an exceptional job, so we will have to see what happens this week.''