Legendary Football Figure Craig Brown Passes Away at 82: A Fond Farewell to Scotland's Coaching Icon
Craig Brown, a legendary figure in Scottish football, passes away at 82 From playing for Dundee and Falkirk to managing Clyde, Scotland youth teams, and the national side, he was a true icon Brown remains the last manager to lead Scotland to a World Cup, leaving an indelible mark on the sport
Craig Brown, the former Scotland manager, has sadly passed away at the age of 82. He was born in Glasgow in 1940 and began his professional playing career at Rangers. However, his time in Govan was abruptly ended due to a significant knee injury.
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Having been managed by Bob Shankly at the time, he relocated to Dundee where he overcame a knee surgery and triumphantly clinched the Scottish league title in 1962. Subsequently, he ventured to Falkirk where he concluded his playing career after five years.
Following this, Brown's next venture led him to the dugout, where he commenced his managerial journey. Initially serving as Willie McLean's assistant at Motherwell, he eventually embarked on his own managerial path in 1977, taking leadership of Clyde. His tenure at Clyde resulted in securing two Second Division titles.
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Clyde achieved two Second Division championships under the leadership of Brown. Moreover, Brown made notable contributions to Motherwell, Aberdeen, and Preston North End. However, it is his tenure with the Scottish national sides that remains his most memorable.
He successfully led the U16s to the World Cup final in 1989, while no one has managed the senior men's side more frequently than Brown.
Under his guidance, the country reached Euro 1996 and the World Cup two years later. Since then, the team's appearance in 1998 marked the last time they qualified for the World Cup.
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Brown's journey in his own words...
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Brown and Billy McNeill - positioned diagonally opposite - enjoyed special memories together on and off the field
During my early years as a player, specifically as a schoolboy and youth player, I considered myself to be fairly skilled. While I never aimed to reach the level of players such as Jim Baxter or Billy Bremner, I believe that if it weren't for my injury, my performance would have been better. At that time, I had the opportunity to train with the Scottish U18 team alongside Billy McNeill at Celtic Park.
At one point, I received a couple of offers, and eventually, I decided to sign with Rangers. Unfortunately, they did not have a qualified physiotherapist, so when I sustained an injury, I did not receive proper treatment. This resulted in me struggling with the injury. However, later on, Bob Shankly arranged for me to go on loan to Dundee, where I performed quite well. After a successful six-month loan period, Dundee decided to acquire me permanently.
Dundee boasted a formidable team, making it incredibly challenging to secure a spot. Their exceptional skills and unity led them to win the Championship. The esteemed lineup consisted of Liney, Hamilton, and Cox, alongside Seith, Ure, and Wishart. Smith, Penman, Cousin, Gilzean, and Robertson completed the formidable roster. In the event of an injury, Brown would eagerly step in as a reliable replacement.
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Ferguson and 'the holiday of a lifetime'
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Sir Alex Ferguson (left) took Brown to the 1986 World Cup in Mexico
Without any assurance that football would provide him with a livelihood, Brown successfully juggled his playing and managerial roles while also working as a teacher. However, everything changed one fateful day in 1986.
During his tenure as a lecturer at Craigie College of Education, Brown received an intriguing phone call that instructed him to contact a certain Mr. Ferguson. It was an Aberdeen number. Following this instruction, Brown dialed Alec's number, who was not yet known as Sir Alex at the time. Alec posed a question to Brown: "Brown, would you be interested in embarking on the vacation of a lifetime?" Curious, Brown inquired, "Where are we heading?" To which Alec replied, "Mexico."
'Managing your country is the ultimate job'
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Brown held various roles with the Scotland youth and senior teams
That involvement in the 1986 World Cup marked the start of Brown's 15-year journey with the Scotland national team. He assumed responsibility for the youth teams and served as Andy Roxburgh's assistant during Scotland's successful qualification campaigns for Italia 90 and Euro 92.
"I never anticipated receiving the position when Andy resigned. Names like Graeme Souness and Gordon Strachan were being mentioned instead of me.
My competitors had a much stronger background than me, but my relative achievements with international youth teams likely played a role in securing the job.
Being in charge of your national team is the pinnacle of managerial positions. And if you can lead the team to successful tournament qualifications, that's even more impressive.
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'As proud as you can be'
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Brown led Scotland at the 1998 World Cup, where they faced Brazil. Prior to this, under Brown's leadership, Scotland had participated in Euro 1996 in England and narrowly missed advancing past the group stage by just one goal. Despite their inability to progress further in the 1998 tournament, the memories of that experience remained with Brown long after the final whistle.
"Standing to the anthem in the Parc des Princes, to hear 'Flower of Scotland' being played over there and the fans singing, that is as proud as you can be.
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Brown has managed Scotland's men's side more than any other person
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One of my most cherished memories is when I had the opportunity to play in the World Cup final with the youth team, competing against Saudi Arabia. It was an incredibly special experience. Another unforgettable moment was when we traveled to Bremen and triumphed over a formidable German team with a score of 1-0. Additionally, we secured a remarkable victory by defeating England with the same score while playing as the visiting team. It is undeniable that there are few occupations that can surpass the joy and satisfaction that these achievements brought me.
However, what truly stands out as the best memories are the instances when individuals approached me and expressed that I had provided them with the most remarkable holiday of their lives. The sheer number of people who have conveyed this sentiment is truly extraordinary and immensely gratifying. It was an absolutely fantastic feeling to know that I had made such a positive impact on their vacation experiences.
'The luckiest guy in Scottish football'
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Brown managed Aberdeen from 2010 to 2013 before ending his career at Pittodrie
Content: Brown's response regarding how he would be remembered and what his legacy would be reflected his true character.
"I hope to be remembered as the man who was fair, honest, upright, and always gave his best. As a manager, I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to lead talented teams. I genuinely believe that I am the luckiest individual in Scottish football," Craig Brown shared.
I am extremely grateful to everyone as I reflect on my journey in the game. The extensive time spent, the incredible opportunities I've been given, and the exceptional individuals I've had the privilege to collaborate with make me undoubtedly the luckiest person in Scottish football.
