Jason Brown considered turning his back on football a year ago but has fell back in love with the game since moving to Aberdeen.

The goalkeeper has only lost two of 12 games since claiming the number one spot in early December as Aberdeen recovered from a poor start to the season.

Brown had only played 16 games in five years at Blackburn before joining the Dons in the summer, with only a handful more coming in loan spells at Leeds and Leyton Orient.

But his recent run in the starting line-up, coupled with his confidence in his team-mates, has inspired optimism that the coming years can be much more fruitful.

Aberdeen face Hibernian at Easter Road on Saturday looking to consolidate sixth place in the SPL, with a Scottish Cup replay against Queen of the South days later.

Brown told Red TV: "I'm loving it here. I fell back in love with football. This time last year, if I'm being perfectly honest, I would have walked away from the game.

"I just felt I wasn't getting the rub of the green. You feel the whole world is against you.

"But I love it here and my family love it here. A lot of people think my contract is up in the summer but I have another year and I'm hoping to stay many years after that."

Brown, who has conceded three goals in seven games, added: "I want success and I genuinely believe we can get it here, 100% hand on heart, and I want to be part of that."

Aberdeen have been hit by a flurry of injuries that will deprive them of Russell Anderson, Rob Milsom, Isaac Osbourne, Yoann Folly, Gavin Rae, Peter Pawlett, Michael Paton and Danny Uchechi against Hibs, and possibly Youl Mawene and Clark Robertson.

But manager Craig Brown was able to strengthen his squad considerably last month with the likes of former Motherwell pair Mark Reynolds and Stephen Hughes adding experience and quality.

Goalkeeper Brown, who has been capped by Wales, said: "I'm really excited about next season. We'll keep the majority of the squad and maybe add one or two others.

"I think we can do some exciting things next season. You have to take into consideration that this is a new squad.

"A lot of people have looked past that and said 'this is not good enough'. But you have to take that into consideration."

Brown still has ambitions of challenging in the upper reaches of the SPL this season.

The 29-year-old said: "Up until fifth they have a nice cushion. We are six points behind but we play them as well.

"We play teams in and around us so we can take points to consolidate top six. But going to Hibs will be very tough.

"They have brought in a lot of players from England and they are fighting for their lives.

"So we have to go with the same attitude as we have been doing and stay in the game because they will come out flying being the home team."