SWINDON Town boss Phil Brown believes physical battles in the second division are becoming prioritised less among teams as the Football League gradually shifts to a free-flowing style of play.

The County Ground boss spent seven seasons playing in the fourth tier of English football at Hartlepool United before spells at Halifax Town, Bolton Wanderers and Blackpool followed.

A consistent playing career was matched by Brown’s positive impact as coach at Bolton Wanderers under Sam Allardyce.

The South Shields-born right-back has since managed at the highest and lowest levels of the Football League ladder – most famously guiding Hull City to the Premier League in 2008 after defeating Bristol City in the Championship Play-Off final at Wembley.

Promotion from League Two isn’t absent from Brown’s CV either, after he earned Southend United a place in the third tier three seasons ago.

Taking his experience at both ends of the spectrum into account, the 59-year-old vowed that playing good football will win a team promotion from the second division – not getting involved in physical scraps.

He said: “I had a couple of seasons at Southend (in League Two) - we didn’t bully or kick our way out of the division, we played our way out of the league.

“And the two years that we did that I remember Burton Albion (also promoted from League Two in 2015) playing some good football too.

“We then went into the first division to try and earn promotion from that.

“Again, it was the football teams with that bit of experience and teams they were well versed with a bit of a sprinkling of youthful exuberance, which I’ve talked about, that performed well.”

Admitting that he would struggle to survive as a player in the modern era, Brown spoke at length about the importance of players thinking more with their feet than their bodies – suggesting a change in the way second division football is being played.

At the same time, though, Brown accepted physical play is still a part of the game – but now only making a difference in as low as 10 per cent of League Two fixtures, in the opinion of the Town boss.

He said: “I don’t think the second division is as physical compared to when I used to play.

“That was a kicking machine, and the division was a war of attrition back then.

“You used to have to win those physical battles to get anything from a game.

“But now I think it’s a lot more technical. There are a lot more managers in this division that are technically and tactically aware.

“Yes, every so often teams do have to have a scrap and win those battles.

“But out of the 46 games, probably 10 per cent – 20 per cent at most – are physical battles.

“The rest, for me, are technical games.”