Izzy Brown has played his first competitive football – ten months after suffering a serious knee injury with Albion.

The Chelsea midfielder played the first 45 minutes for Leeds United under-23s in their 3-0 defeat to Birmingham City this afternoon.

Brown was helped off after a block tackle in the first half of the Seagulls’ 2-1 FA Cup win over Crystal Palace in January. He was on loan from Chelsea at the time.

Leeds took him on a season-long loan this term despite the fact he was still sidelined.

They believe he could yet play a big role in the second half of the Championship season.

Brown went down in agony after a full-blooded challenge with Jeff Schlupp at the Amex. He initially tried to carry on before reluctantly making way for Sam Baldock.