Craig Brown (footballer, born 1940) facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | James Craig Brown | ||
| Date of birth | 1 July 1940 | ||
| Place of birth | Glasgow, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 26 June 2023 (aged 82) | ||
| Place of death | Ayr, Scotland | ||
| Playing position | Wing half | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Kilmarnock Amateurs | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1957–1961 | Rangers | 0 | (0) |
| 1957–1958 | → Coltness United (loan) | ||
| 1960–1961 | → Dundee (loan) | ||
| 1961–1965 | Dundee | 14 | (0) |
| 1965–1967 | Falkirk | 17 | (0) |
| Total | 31 | (0) | |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1977–1986 | Clyde | ||
| 1986–1993 | Scotland U21 | ||
| 1993–2001 | Scotland | ||
| 2002–2004 | Preston North End | ||
| 2009–2010 | Motherwell | ||
| 2010–2013 | Aberdeen | ||
|
|||
James Craig Brown (born July 1, 1940 – died June 26, 2023) was a famous Scottish football player and manager. He was known for his long career in the sport.
Craig Brown started his football journey as a player for teams like Rangers, Dundee, and Falkirk. However, his playing time was cut short because of several knee injuries. After his playing days, he became a manager.
He first managed Clyde in 1977. Later, he coached different Scotland youth teams. In 1993, he became the manager of the main Scotland national team. He held this job for the longest time of any Scotland manager, leading them to play in the UEFA Euro 1996 and 1998 FIFA World Cup tournaments. After leaving the national team, he managed club teams like Preston North End, Motherwell, and Aberdeen. He stopped managing teams in 2013.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Craig Brown was born in Glasgow, Scotland. He grew up in different towns like Troon, Rutherglen, and Hamilton. This was because his father, who was a physical education teacher, moved for his job.
Young Craig loved sports. He was a very good golfer and also enjoyed watching football matches. He went to Hamilton Academy for his education.
Playing Career Highlights
Craig Brown was seen as a promising young player. He played for his school teams and even for Scotland's youth international teams.
Starting with Rangers
In 1957, he joined Rangers, one of Scotland's biggest clubs. To gain experience, he was loaned to Coltness United. He even played for the Scotland Junior squad. However, a knee injury and the arrival of another talented player, Jim Baxter, made it hard for him to get a regular spot at Rangers.
Time at Dundee
In 1960, he moved to Dundee on loan. Even though he had knee surgery and didn't play much at first, Dundee signed him permanently in 1961. He made his league debut in February 1962. That season, Dundee won the Scottish league title. Even though he only played nine games, he earned a winner's medal.
Craig stayed at Dundee for four and a half years. Injuries continued to affect his playing time. During this period, he also studied to become a physical education and primary teacher. Fun fact: he was also part of a pop music group called Hammy and the Hamsters with other Dundee players!
Moving to Falkirk
In 1965, Craig joined Falkirk as a part-time player. He played 42 games for them. In 1967, he tried to join Stranraer, but his knee injury quickly forced him to stop playing football for good. He had to return the money he received for signing with the club.
Managerial Career Journey
After his playing career ended, Craig Brown quickly became interested in coaching.
First Steps at Clyde
In 1974, he became an assistant manager at Motherwell. His first job as a full manager was with Clyde in 1977. He stayed there for ten seasons and even won the Second Division championship in his very first season! While managing Clyde, he also worked as a primary school head teacher and later taught at a college.
Leading Scotland's Teams
Craig Brown then moved on to coach Scotland's youth teams.
- In 1989, he led Scotland's Under-16 team to the final of the 1989 FIFA U-16 World Championship.
- Three years later, he coached the Under-21s to the semi-finals of the 1992 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship.
He also worked as an assistant manager for the main Scotland team under Alex Ferguson and Andy Roxburgh for several major tournaments.
Managing the Scotland National Team
In 1993, Craig Brown became the manager of the senior Scotland team. He helped Scotland qualify for two big tournaments:
He managed Scotland for 70 international matches, which is more than any other Scotland manager! He won 32 games, drew 18, and lost 20. He stepped down from his role in October 2001. A memorable moment was when his Scotland team beat England 1–0 at the old Wembley in 1999.
Club Management After Scotland
After his time with the national team, Craig Brown managed club teams again.
- He managed Preston North End from 2002 to 2004.
- In 2009, he took charge of Motherwell, helping them become one of the top teams in the Scottish Premier League.
- In 2010, he became the manager of Aberdeen.
In 2013, Craig Brown announced he would retire from football management. He then joined the Aberdeen board as a director.
Personal Life and Legacy
Craig Brown was recognized for his contributions to football. He was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1999. He also received an honorary degree from Abertay University in 2001.
He had two brothers: Jock, who was a football commentator, and Bob, who was a church minister. Craig's grandson, also named Craig, plays football for Stirling University.
Craig Brown passed away on June 26, 2023, at the age of 82.
Managerial Statistics
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | |||||
| Clyde |  |
August 1977 | May 1986 | 410 | 136 | 118 | 156 | 33.17 | |
| Scotland U21 | |
September 1986 | November 1993 | 44 | 19 | 7 | 18 | 43.18 | |
| Scotland | |
13 October 1993 | 30 October 2001 | 71 | 32 | 18 | 21 | 45.07 | |
| Scotland B | |
February 1994 | February 1995 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50.00 | |
| Preston North End |  |
29 April 2002 | 29 August 2004 | 106 | 36 | 30 | 40 | 33.96 | |
| Motherwell | |
29 December 2009 | 10 December 2010 | 45 | 21 | 10 | 14 | 46.67 | |
| Aberdeen | |
13 December 2010 | 6 April 2013 | 113 | 37 | 33 | 43 | 32.74 | |
| Total | 791 | 282 | 216 | 293 | 35.65 | — | |||
Honours and Achievements
As a Player
- Dundee
- Scottish league champion: 1961–62
As a Manager
- Clyde
- Scottish Second Division (2): 1977–78, 1981–82
- Scotland Youth Teams
- UEFA Under-21 Euros: Bronze medal in 1992
- Toulon Tournament: Bronze medal in 1991, 1993
- Personal Awards
- Scottish Premier League manager of the month (4 times): January 2010, February 2010, January 2012, and October 2012
See also
In Spanish: Craig Brown (futbolista) para niños
