Brown has scored three goals for Pools this season

Hartlepool United striker James Brown will not be rushed back into first-team action, according to director of sport Chris Turner.

Brown, 23, is in line for a return to training next week after a knee injury but Turner is keen to ensure the player is fully fit before being risked.

"It's got to be a situation where James is 100% ready," he told BBC Tees.

"The boy's career is more important than games, he has to come back when he's physically and mentally ready."

Injuries have blighted Brown during his time at Victoria Park, with two separate cruciate ligament ruptures forcing him to spend time on the sidelines on top of his current knee setback.

Pools were last able to call upon Brown in November's 3-1 home defeat by Southampton.

Since then they have since suffered six defeats in 11 games, a run which has seen the club slip to within five points and four places of the League One relegation zone.

Title contenders Leeds are the next visitors to Victoria Park.

Turner said: "They're all big games this month.

"As we've said many time before we're playing all the top teams in the league and it's a very unprecedented fixture list for us in terms of the opposition we're playing.

"We've got to make it a cup-tie atmosphere, be in their faces and do what we've done in the last four games.

"But if we put away the silly mistakes and put the chances away we'll get the right result.

"We're so close to getting results and making mistakes that no-one can legislate for has affected us getting a point."

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