City stand-in skipper Brown happy to return armband

Leicester City defender Wayne Brown looks set to hand back the captaincy to Matt Oakley at Scunthorpe tomorrow.

Brown paid tribute to Oakley, who missed last week's 1-0 Championship victory over Plymouth through suspension.

Brown said: "Matty does a fantastic job on and off the pitch and long may it continue.

"I know he has the respect of everyone on the playing and coaching staff."

Oakley is likely to return to City's midfield at Glanford Park with Paul Gallagher or Yann Kermorgant possibly making way.

Brown says City are in third spot in the Championship "on merit", although he insisted: "We've not pulled up any trees but we're sitting there in third place and it's a good position to be."

By contrast, Scunthorpe, who joined City in climbing out of League One, are struggling in the wake of four successive defeats which have plunged them towards the relegation zone.

Peterborough, the third team promoted into the Championship, are also at the wrong end.

Brown said: "We're in third place on merit and we have to make sure we are still around these top positions in May.

"You can make comparisons with the other teams who came up with us but, to be honest, I couldn't care less where Scunthorpe and Peterborough are.

"This is about us and we have to ensure we don't get ahead of ourselves. We have to keep our feet on the ground and never let the highs get too high or the lows too low."

Brown was still a Hull City player when City won 2-1 at Scunthorpe in November last year to return to the top of League One.

He missed the promotion party at the Walkers Stadium in April when City drew 2-2 with the Iron and received the League One trophy at the end of the contest.

He said: "It's a difficult place to go and get three points. They have beaten Newcastle, Preston and Sheffield United this season.

"They were probably the better side at the Walkers and deserved more than a point – but that was last season and it's in the past now.

"We've got far too many positives to take into the game to worry about them, though, and if we concentrate on our game we should have more than enough about us to get the three points."

Brown says City are about to enter a critical stage of the season when there is a glut of games leading up to the Christmas and New Year period.

He said: "It's been a decent season to date but this is where the real hard work starts.

"We have to stay on a roll and build on our performances so far.

"In previous seasons, what teams have done over the Christmas period determines whether they are promoted or not."