The second tier has been the most intriguing in English football this term with a host of shock results making it almost impossible to predict with any confidence what will happen next.

Its unpredictable nature is perhaps best summed up by the leadership having changed hands a staggering 16 times already this season, while the fact just three points separate the top five clubs also illustrates just how fiercely-contested the promotion race has been.

Despite this suggesting a competition in rude health, the Championship has come in for criticism in some quarters with the lack of a runaway leader being seen as an indicator of a general lack of quality.

This thinking has, unsurprisingly, been dismissed by Brown ahead of tonight's derby trip to Barnsley where a City victory coupled with West Brom losing the Black Country derby at Wolves would be enough to propel the Tigers into pole position.

He said: "It has been a strange season, I admit that. Every team has seemed capable of beating each other.

"It has been so competitive that I think the team who wins the Championship will do so with a record low points total. It also looks like it will be a record low total to go up automatically and, I would imagine, a record low to get in the play-offs.

"And at the bottom, I can see the team who finishes third bottom having a record high points total for someone who is relegated.

"I know some people see this as a negative thing, but I don't. What I believe the close nature of the Championship this season shows is that this is a particularly strong division.

"You only have to look at the FA Cup for that with three clubs making it to the semi-finals after beating a few Premier League teams along the way.

"I actually believe this division is as strong as it has ever been. The prize is as big as it has ever been and because so much is at stake, that is why I feel every side feels they are capable of beating each other."

Brown's belief that history will be made this term in the Championship with a host of record points totals seems sound.

Since the second tier reverted to 24 teams in 1988-89, the lowest points total to win the title is the 82 collected by Middlesbrough in 1994-95. In the same season, Reading finished second with 79 – a total that was emulated by Derby County the following year.

Brown added: "This game at Oakwell epitomises what the Championship has been all about this season. Barnsley, a team who have beaten Chelsea and Liverpool this season, still probably need one more win to be safe, while we started the season priced at 80-1 to win the division.

"Last summer, we were clearly thought of as one of the main contenders to finish in the bottom three but, instead, we are at the other end. There is no doubt the Championship has been competitive and unpredictable. And I know that has led to some people suggesting that the three teams who go up will come straight back down.

"But, once again, I can't agree with that. Those days are long gone."

City will be without Richard Garcia for the trip to Oakwell after the Australian wide man sustained a shoulder injury in the weekend draw at home to QPR, while Henrik Pedersen is rated as "60-40" to be fit after suffering a hamstring strain in the same game.

Brown said: "It will be tough (tonight) because Barnsley have bounced back from the disappointment of losing an FA Cup semi-final by winning back-to-back games at Watford and Preston.

"But we are in a good position because our destiny is in our own hands. We go to Barnsley knowing we can move into the top two or even top spot.

"We showed great character to get a point against QPR by scoring late. That is the sort of character we'll need to show between now and the end of the season, starting at Barnsley."