Peterhead manager Jim McInally wants Jason Brown to keep improving after the defender agreed to stay with the club.
The centre-back, who joined the Blue Toon four years ago, has agreed a new two-year contract to remain at Balmoor.
Brown has made 149 appearances for the Buchan side – including 25 this season – and helped them win the League Two title in 2019.
The 24-year-old is the latest member of McInally’s squad to commit their future to Peterhead.
Simon Ferry, Ryan Conroy, Andrew McDonald, Gary Fraser, Alan Cook, Andrew McCarthy and brother Jordon have done likewise, while Hamish Ritchie has been signed permanently from Inverurie.
McInally has been pleased with the performances of Brown, but believes he can still improve further.
He said: “I’ve said to Jason that he’s certainly matured as a player, he just needs to mature his temperament a bit more.
“That should come as he continues to gain experience.
“Jason has played a lot of games for us over his four years here.
“He’s improving all the time and central defenders get better with age and with experience.
“Last season Jason was able to play a few games with Gary MacKenzie and that helped him.
“And then once Gary wasn’t there, I think he got even better again because he’d learned from that.
“I’m delighted with how Jason has done for us and I’m delighted he’s re-signing.”
Building a partnership
In the second part of the 2020-21 campaign, former Inverness Caley Thistle player Brown formed a promising central defensive partnership with Andrew McDonald.
McInally hopes that the pair can continue to build their partnership next term.
The SPFL’s longest-serving manager added: “Jason needs to lead by example and we want him to become a leader.
“Jason and Andrew have already formed a decent partnership together and they need to improve that partnership.
“Andrew is a bit younger (23), but they look like they have a good balance between them.
“So it would be nice next season if they can develop that balance and continue to improve as a partnership.”
Security for the future
McInally believes the two-year deal gives both Brown and Peterhead some security for the future.
But the Blue Toon boss also says if the opportunity was there for Brown to move to a higher level they wouldn’t stand his way.
He said: “It gives Jason and the club some security and I think it shows where he is as well now that he was looking for a bit more security.
“Maybe in the past he’s waited to see if something better might come up.
“But I think Jason knows now that, if something better does come up, we wouldn’t stand in his way, we would help him on his way.
“So I think there’s that trust there, which is good.”