Kevin Brown excited by prospects at Vikings (From Runcorn and Widnes World)

Kevin Brown excited by prospects at Vikings

9:40am Friday 1st February 2013 in Sport

VIKINGS’ year-long loan signing of Wigan and England packman Gareth Hock has definitely created a buzz around the club and town.

But nobody could have been happier about the deal than his brother-in-law and fellow star signing Kevin Brown.

The skilful number six, who signed from Huddersfield Giants on a four year deal, was delighted that Hock has joined him for this year at Stobart Stadium.

Brown said: “You can see Gareth Hock’s signing has already created a buzz of excitement – and everyone’s eyes lit up as soon as he walked into the room when his signing was announced.

“All the fans will be going nuts about it too. Signings like this is one of the reasons I joined this club. When I spoke to Steve O’Connor and Denis Betts they told me that they were not going to rush into things – but having sorted the infrastructure out they were going to start adding quality players.

“I thought that would do for me.”

There were a few raised eyebrows when 28-year-old Brown – at the top of his game with the then high-flying Giants - opted to pen a deal with a Vikings side propping up the rest of Super League.

But that is something Brown himself intends to address once he gets out on the park.

“I did not come here to be playing bottom of the league and be happy with that– I came here because of the ambition and their plans for the future.

“The club have carried out everything they have said to me. I am very excited to be involved in it and really happy with the decision I made,” he said.

“We all want to be featuring in the top half of the table, but we understand that that does not happen overnight.”

A collision with Willie Isa in training before Christmas, however, has meant Brown has spent the pre-season games on the sidelines after needing ankle surgery.

But he hopes to be fit and ready soon – but he won’t be rushed back for the opener.

“At least I will be fully fit when I get back – it would have been nice to have played in the friendlies but I just want to get out there with my teammates and earn their respect out on the field,” he said.

In his short time at the club it has not been simply the ambition of the club that has impressed Brown but also what he has seen coming through the ranks.

He said: “The young Widnes players have blown me away. I did not know that much about the team when I came here. I was shocked by how many good young players are here – the likes of Grant Gore, Jack Owen, Tom Gilmore and Joe Mellor but Danny Craven has been my best player for the last three games in the trials.

“He has been fantastic – his kicking game combined with his running game has been awesome. He getting a lot of confidence from playing there and looks like a fantastic player, who I am looking forward to playing with.”