Craig Brown silenced his doubters to become a Scotland managerial icon

Yet, the Glaswegian, who has passed away at the age of 82 following a short illness, more than made amends, like so many to have underwhelming careers in the professional ranks, when he moved in to management.

He spent a total of eight years in charge of the national team, longer than anyone to occupy the position before or since, and was in the dugout for no fewer than 71 internationals, more than any of his predecessors or successors.

He led Scotland through to Euro ’96 - where they only failed to progress to the knockout rounds for the first time in their history because their Group A rivals the Netherlands scored more goals – and then France ’98.

Brown stood down from his position in 2001 after failing to reach Euro 2000 – despite a 1-0 triumph over England at Wembley in the second leg of the play-off, the sort of glorious failure which this country has always excelled at – and Korea Japan 2002.

But his achievements improved with time. It was not until 2021, fully 23 years after France ’98, that the national team again graced the finals of a major tournament. Andy Roxburgh remains the only other Scotland manager to secure two qualifications.

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A short, slightly portly, softly-spoken, avuncular figure, he could cut a slightly comical character in the dugout at times. But appearances can be deceptive. He was tactically astute, hard-working, driven. He also commanded the total respect of his charges. His man management skills were considerable. He was held in great affection by those who played under him.  

Jim Leighton, the former Aberdeen and Manchester United goalkeeper who won many of his 91 caps when Brown was Scotland manager, once described him as “the nicest man I have ever met in football”.

Brown was born and brought up in the railway village of Corkerhill in Glasgow during the Second World War and saw little of his father Hugh - a former professional footballer with King’s Park (now Stirling Albion) who was a squadron leader in the RAF – during his early years.

After the war, Brown Snr became head of physical education at Marr College in Troon and uprooted his family to the Ayrshire coast. But their stay there was short. A promotion to physical education supervisor for Lanarkshire saw them move again to Rutherglen and then settle in Hamilton.

He soon, like so many lads of his age, became obsessed with football, both playing and watching. He would go and cheer on Hamilton, Queen’s Park and Motherwell as a youth. His hero was the Hearts midfielder Dave Mackay and he would pester his father and uncle to take him to watch him play whenever he was in the area. “Every time I saw him I knew that I wanted to be just like him,” he wrote in his autobiography. 

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He was certainly good enough to consider football as a career. He played alongside Billy McNeill in the Scotland Schools team in a 3-0 victory over England at Parkhead as a teenager. He was invited to train with the Celtic youth squad along with McNeill and was taken aback by the interest their aspiring coach Jock Stein took in him and his contemporaries.

Manager Jimmy McGrory did not offer terms to either boy (he later changed his mind about McNeill) but the Kilmarnock Amateurs player eventually signed for Rangers in 1958 when he was 17.

He was farmed out to Coltness United and was later selected for the Scottish Junior side to play Ireland. He went full-time at Ibrox and found himself training alongside icons of that era like Ralph Brand, Eric Caldow, Jimmy Millar, Bobby Shearer and Davy Wilson.

Brown’s best position was left half or left midfield. But after he had spent around 18 months in Govan without making a first team appearance his competition for a start increased when Jim Baxter was signed from Raith Rovers for a Scottish record transfer fee of £17,5000 in 1960. A persistent knee injury did not help his cause either.

Bob Shankly, the brother of the legendary Liverpool manager Bill who had just taken over at Dundee, took him on loan and the youngster did well enough to convince him to sign him permanently.

He found first team football difficult to come by at Dens Park, where Alex Hamilton, Bobby Cox, Ian Ure, Gordon Smith, Andy Penman, Alan Cousin, Alan Gilzean formed a formidable starting line-up as well. But he made nine appearances as they won the Scottish title in 1962 and received a winner’s medal as a result.

He was both impressed and touched when Shankly, who had a profound influence on him, handed him the same bonus as all of his team mates. He later described him as “one of the finest managers and men it has ever been my privilege to know”.

Brown combined playing with physical education and primary teaching courses at Jordanhill College and when he finally, after two injury-blighted seasons at Falkirk, hung up his boots in 1967 he moved in to education full-time. He had also completed his SFA coach badges at Largs. 

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When he was offered the chance to become the part-time assistant to Willie McLean at Motherwell in 1974 he jumped at it. He helped the Fir Park club finish 10th in the final season of the old First Division and clinch their place in the new Premier Division.

He was always eager to become a manager in his own right and did so when he was approached by Clyde – his old Scottish Schoolboys team mate McNeill had recommended him to the chairman of the Shawfield side when he left to take over at Aberdeen  - in 1977.

Clyde lifted the Second Division title in his debut season, a triumph they repeated four years later. He turned down several job offers during his nine year stint there, including one to become assistant to then Scotland manager Jock Stein.  He felt that he lacked the necessary experience and was concerned about job security.

He did, however, take up the chance to be a member of Alex Ferguson’s backroom team when the national team played in Mexico ’86 following Stein’s tragic death. He returned home from Central America “a wiser man”. Later that summer he was asked to become new Scotland manager Andy Roxburgh’s assistant and the under-21 coach.

He turned down an invitation from then Rangers chairman David Holmes to join the Ibrox board at that time because he was keen to keep on working with players. His first under-21 match brought a 1-0 win over West Germany.

He would lead the under-16 side to the finals of the FIFA Under-16 World Championship in Scotland in 1989. They were beaten by Saudi Arabia on penalties in front of a crowd of 50,956. He then steered his under-21 team through to the finals of the 1992 UEFA Under-21 Championship.

Brown spent seven years as Scotland assistant and was by Roxburgh’s side at the Italia ’90 and Euro ’92 finals. When his colleague stood down after failing to reach USA ’94, he was placed in temporary charge in 1993.

A 3-1 defeat at the hands of Italy in Rome did nothing to boost his chances of landing the position on a full-time basis. Kenny Dalglish, Alex Ferguson and Graeme Souness were all touted as potential replacements. 

But he was offered the job before the next international against Malta. He would go on to prove the doubters in the Tartan Army and the media wrong in a Euro 1996 qualifying group that comprised Russia, Greece, Finland, the Faroe Islands and San Marino. His men won seven, drew two and lost just one of their 10 Group 8 outings and finished in second place.

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In the finals in England, Scotland drew 0-0 with the Netherlands, lost 2-0 to host nation and beat Switzerland 1-0. But when Patrick Kluivert netted late on for the Netherlands in a 4-1 defeat at the hands England at Wembley it meant his side had the same goal difference as Scotland and they finished second in Group A and progressed because they had scored more goals.

Brown dusted himself down from that disappointment and took the national team back to the World Cup in France in 1998. They won seven, drew two and lost just one of their 10 qualifiers against Austria, Sweden, Latvia, Estonia and Belarus and pipped Sweden to second spot. The finals proved to be a less successful experience.

Defeat to holders Brazil in the opening game was followed by a 1-1 draw with Norway and then a 3-0 loss at the hands of Morocco. With Norway beating Brazil 2-1 in their final Group A game, that defeat was irrelevant. Still, the manager incurred the wrath of the huge Scotland support that had travelled to Saint-Etienne.

He held on to his job. However, successive failed campaigns brought an end to his tenure and he departed in the October of 2001. Scotland won 32, drew 18 and lost 21 of the 71 matches he took charge of in the eight years he was manager.

Brown, who went on to manage Preston North End, Motherwell and Aberdeen before retiring from management in 2013 and taking up a place on the Pittodrie board, was unquestionably helped by the quality of player he was able to select.

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He could call on outstanding professionals like John Collins, Andy Goram, Colin Hendry, Paul Lambert, Tom Boyd, Paul McStay, Craig Burley, Gary McAllister, Kevin Gallacher and Ally McCoist. Those who came after him did not have the same luxury.

Still, he successfully gelled the talent he had at his disposal and his teams performed consistently well in their qualifying campaigns. He was honoured to be manager and never viewed it as a stepping stone to a more lucrative job in the club game.

He always, too, conducted himself in a manner befitting of his position and endeared himself to fans, reporters and opposition coaches with his gentlemanly demeanour and impish sense of humour. His longevity in such a high-profile position showed that he had a steely side and a deep-rooted determination too.

He will be remembered as one of the greatest Scotland managers, arguably the greatest.