Despite his genial nature and undoubted prowess as a scrum-half, Sam Brown’s introduction to life at Billesley Common was far from welcoming.

“Cavesy actually injured me, he hurt my shoulder and I ended up on the bench,” the 24-year-old recalls.

“He also said some not so nice words to me when I was on the floor. Something along the lines of ‘Stay down you stupid little ****’.”

Perhaps the Birmingham & Solihull Bees shirt had something to do with it. Not so much red rag to a bull as white top to a Moselista.

To be fair to Caves, also known as Adam and part of the Billesley furniture, Brown was representing Moseley’s fierce rivals at the time and the incident occurred during a decisive relegation play-off in May 2010.

Brown’s Bees, who had put the wind up Moseley with their miraculous recovery from administration and near-certain relegation, ran out joyous 38-34 winners and cavorted around their neighbours’ manor with reckless abandon.

Brown should be grateful Caves didn’t injure him even more after the game.

Thankfully much water has passed under the bridge since then. The affable half-back has switched allegiances, via Cinderford, and he now shares a house in Kings Norton with Moseley prop Colin Quigley.

He has also joined the club’s community coaching team and is hoping to establish himself as part of the clubhouse fixtures and fittings.

Ironically the relationship between the new Moseley scrum-half and their long-standing hooker is crucial to the functioning of Kevin Maggs’ embryonic side.

“When first I came to Moseley I reminded him of the first time we spoke and exactly what the first words he ever said to me were,” Brown chuckles. “He just laughed.”

As well he might because Brown has been one of Maggs’ more shrewd signings. He arrived, having spent two of the last three seasons in National One, without the fanfare of other new recruits.

Yet, in the absence of Ryan De La Harpe, who is at the Rugby World Cup with Namibia, he has established himself as first cab off the rank at No. 9.

He has done so with three performances full of brio and positivity. Maggs’ message has been ‘Get the ball away from the breakdown’ and Brown has obliged. He has also made breaks that have resulted in tries and several others that might have. A few months ago Dela was the fella but now Brown’s got the crown.

And the 45 league appearances he made for Bees have not been held against him by the Red and Black faithful.

“There were no second thoughts about moving to Moseley,” he says. “I think you have to be from Birmingham and be around a club for many years for a local rivalry to mean a lot to you.

“When I played it was hyped up and it still meant something to you but not more than any other game. It’s a professional era and every game has to mean as much as possible.”

Which is why he opted to step back into the Championship. Brown had decided to re-sign for Cinderford when Maggs came calling.

The opportunity to test himself at a higher level was too good to turn down.

There was also the much-heralded change in playing style, which has made Mose easier on the eye, if not yet produced a greater return of league points.