CHRIS Brown remembers watching Michael Bridges playing for Sunderland at Roker Park - now he's competing with the £5m man for a place in the Black Cats' squad.

Brown is hoping his matchwinning performance against Coventry City can help him leapfrog his team-mate in the pecking order, and earn him a place in the 16 against Queens Park Rangers next weekend.

The deadline day signing of Leeds striker Brian Deane is likely to mean Brown and Bridges are competing for one squad place at Loftus Road next weekend.

Brown, however, still knows he'll have to prove his worth despite his goal against the Sky Blues ensuring Mick McCarthy's side now have a two point cushion at the top of the Championship.

"I don't take my place for granted," said Brown. "I was below par in the previous games (before Coventry) and the manager just gave me a kick up the backside.

"I've got to believe I can (break into the starting XI). Marcus Stewart and Stephen Elliott have been class so I know it'll be different but I think I can do it.

"There's no real competition amongst the strikers over who gets the goals. We've got to work hard as individuals and you just try to get on with your own job."

Despite holding Bridges in the highest esteem from the days when he used to watch the 26-year-old before his £5m move to Leeds in the summer of 1999, Brown is determined to prove he's the man McCarthy should turn to this coming weekend

"I used to go and stand at the Roker End and watch Mickey Bridges and some of the older lads, and then at the Stadium of Light when we moved there," said the 20-year-old. "When I knew he was signing I was looking forward to meeting him, although he was only a young lad himself when I was watching him.

"But I'm sure, like me, he believes he can break into the starting XI.

"If you start the game you've got to take your chance. I think I did well against Coventry and I'm just looking forward to the QPR game now."

After the game in the capital next weekend, Sunderland's next two away games are against the sides challenging for promotion - Wigan and Ipswich.

According to Brown, however, confidence in the Black Cats camp is on such a high they fear no-one in the division. He said: "I think we believe we can beat anybody on the day. I think we've got good results against all the top teams so we're pretty confident."

l Northern Ireland international Steve Jones has been linked with a summer move to Sunderland. The striker's contract at Crewe runs until the summer of 2006 and the Cheshire side could cash in on the 28-year-old at the end of the season.

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