Craig Brown

[KingRocketman II]

After his international tenure and through some pretty grim times for the national team, whenever I heard him being interviewed, he was always optimistic and spoke the game in Scotland up. Very few (ex) managers do that for whatever reason - have an axe to grind, bitter, jealous, more bookings/jobs if your critical and are rent-a-quote.

Top guy in every sense. . 

[Trackdaybob]

Sad news indeed  

RIP sir.

And thank you. 

[BFTD]

Good memories, and you got the impression managing the national team was the pinnacle for him, so he was very much a man of a different era. Never heard anyone have anything negative to say about him personally either.

Younger posters won't remember that there was a bit of disappointment when he was appointed Scotland manager, as we'd just endured a (for the time) shocking smackdown in the World Cup 94 qualifiers, and Craig Brown had been Andy Roxburgh's assistant, so some folk would've rather we'd started afresh. I don't think anyone was complaining by 1998; it's unlikely anybody else would've done better for us.

[KingRocketman II]

14 minutes ago, BTFD said:

Good memories, and you got the impression managing the national team was the pinnacle for him, so he was very much a man of a different era. Never heard anyone have anything negative to say about him personally either.

Younger posters won't remember that there was a bit of disappointment when he was appointed Scotland manager, as we'd just endured a (for the time) shocking smackdown in the World Cup 94 qualifiers, and Craig Brown had been Andy Roxburgh's assistant, so some folk would've rather we'd started afresh. I don't think anyone was complaining by 1998; it's unlikely anybody else would've done better for us.

or even by 1996....

[Riviera711]

9 minutes ago, PossilYM said:

Between Roxburgh and Brown, were they related?, they could have bored for Scotland.

And then there's Craig's singing folk songs down the phone.

Best forgotten, a bit like Brown.

That's a shame, they thought the world of you.

Edited June 26, 2023 by Riviera711

[KirkieRR]

46 minutes ago, BTFD said:

Good memories, and you got the impression managing the national team was the pinnacle for him, so he was very much a man of a different era. Never heard anyone have anything negative to say about him personally either.

Younger posters won't remember that there was a bit of disappointment when he was appointed Scotland manager, as we'd just endured a (for the time) shocking smackdown in the World Cup 94 qualifiers, and Craig Brown had been Andy Roxburgh's assistant, so some folk would've rather we'd started afresh. I don't think anyone was complaining by 1998; it's unlikely anybody else would've done better for us.

The dreary will-this-do? that was Only an Excuse, when he was appointed, had a crack about all our elite upcoming opponents 'watching old Clyde videos' to get up to speed with his way of playing.

 

More than most Scotland managers, he was a Scotland fan.

 

I like that.

[Steve_Wilkos]

 

 

[Andy_K_97]

I'm really sad that Craig is no longer with us - Scottish football is poorer for having lost him. My first memories of watching Scotland were his teams at the Euros in 1996 and the World Cup in 1998, and as a wee boy in 98 I remembered the euphoria and the buzz around the whole country as a result of his work. Some might have decried his style of play as being too defensive, but he knew how to get the best out of his teams and gave us a Scotland team that was worth shouting about. As I grew older and saw him at Rugby Park with Motherwell and later Aberdeen, I always held him in high admiration and watching him celebrate Motherwell's 6th goal in the 6-6 game was special. The kind of moment that you can't help but smile at when you watch it back.

I had the privilege to meet Craig on a number of occasions through work, firstly when he appeared on a podcast I hosted to talk about his time as Scotland assistant and later manager. He was incredibly generous with his time and we were still chatting away long after the recording finished about all things football. Last year, Craig came to Hampden with Archie Knox, Frank Coulson and Dick Campbell with Frank's Football Memories group from Stranraer and you could tell that everyone was hanging onto his every word whenever he spoke. The old guys loved it and so did I - it was an amazing thing to be a part of. I also had a surreal moment when I took the group round the stadium and Craig told me that he learned a fair bit from my tour. It must have been a bit strange, going round his old place of work that he would have been very familiar with, but he was genuine when he said that to me. I'll probably never have another day at my work like that, and it'll live with me forever.

What a life he lived. Rest easy Craig, you'll be sorely missed. 

[Le Tout P'ti FC]

Saddened to read about this. As so often with a death, you partly mourn for the person lost, and partly for your lost youth.

Craig Brown was manager of Clyde when I went to my first ever game (Clyde v Aberdeen at Shawfield in the Scottish Cup 1984).

My next encounter with a team of his must have been the U16 World Cup in 1989. Amazing memories of the huge crowd inside Tynecastle as we beat the Portuguese all-stars in the semi, and then the infamous Saudi Arabian final at Hampden.

He then managed a superb U21 team and I remember some cracking fixtures at Pittodrie around that era.

His progression to the Scotland job was inevitable. I bloody loved that whole period as a Scotland fan around Euro 96 and France 98. Fitting that as he passes we seem to have finally found a promise of the good times again, I’m sure he would have taken some comfort from our recent results.

Some of my favourite ever Scotland games in that period. Austria at Celtic Park being the first jumping to mind, but there were a lot of great days out. Estonia at Rugby Park, qualifying against Latvia. Good times!

He turned ok individual players into good football teams, and he always gave the impression of being a decent bloke with it.

Sympathies to his family, who I’m sure will know that he was a much loved figure in our game.

[superwell87]

Saddened to hear of Craig's death. A true great of the Scottish game. RIP!

[Silverton End]

RIP Craig Brown

 

[Lurkst]

2 hours ago, KirkieRR said:

More than most Scotland managers, he was a Scotland fan.

 

I like that.

Indeed. I remember his intro to the SFA's France 98 handbook starting "Dear fellow supporter" 

Not only the last manager to take us to a World Cup, but I believe the only man to manage a Scotland team of any age group to a World Cup final?

RIP wee man.

 

[pawpar]

Best 2 to 3 weeks of my life were in France in 98. Had a blast everywhere I went regardless of the scoreline. Scoring that penalty against Brazil when I was outside the Stade De France watching the game with half scottish and half brazilian fans. Equalising against Norway in Bordeaux and losing to Morocco in St. Etienne.

Thanks Broonie.

R.I.P.

 

[Tony Ferrino]

RIP James Craig Brown.

You lovely old sex machine you.

[Willie adie]

Craig was the type of person even if you never met him you felt you knew him.

I met him once at an Aberdeen supporter club meeting, very patient and put up with my inane ramblings, 

Yes there were Times that he frustrate me with his seemingly negative tactics, and his apparent over rating if the lesser nations, but he knew his side's limitations and its strengths and he had every players respect, 

And he was a top man with the fairer sex

[Donathan]

6 hours ago, Jives Miguel said:

Where does his reputation of being a mad shagger come from?

 

Sounds like a good story there

 

https://www.thefreelibrary.com/MY+LOVE+FOR+CRAIG%3B+TV+girl+Louise%2C+23%2C+tells+of+romance+with+Scotland...-a063096117

 

Give this a read

[Quentin Taranbino]

I forgot he pumped Hazel Irvine too.

Pretty sure she got it from Ally McCoist, Jackie McNamara, Marco Negri and Jim White too. She was also a right shagger.

 

[velo army]

I never used to get Craig Brown when he was Scotland manager. He was affable, gentle and seemed like he wouldn't say boo to a goose, yet he would manage to motivate fighting displays from Scotland teams continually. You never had any gutless displays under him and he could be quite ruthless with players too.

Obviously there was a real difference between his public, private and dressing room personae that my teenage self didn't quite get. We saw a bit of it when he was at Motherwell and got into a scrap with someone. Obviously not a man to be trifled with.

Ach, as my fellow Harry said above, I feel grief for part of my youth, not just the man. He was from a different era and had a calm, schoolmasterly aura about him. 

I hope the dolly burds in heaven form an orderly queue.

 

[Hoose Rice]

12 hours ago, Willie adie said:

Ask hazel Irvine ( allegedly)

Or Posh Spice  

[Willie adie]

7 hours ago, Quentin Taranbino said:

I forgot he pumped Hazel Irvine too.

Pretty sure she got it from Ally McCoist, Jackie McNamara, Marco Negri and Jim White too. She was also a right shagger.

 

Im not so sure the Jim White one, was he not the man who nearly dropped her in it when she was allegedly seeing Jacki Dziekanowski