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 | ||
|
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James Craig Brown CBE (1 July 1940 – 26 June 2023) was a Scottish professional football player and manager. After his playing career with Rangers, Dundee and Falkirk was curtailed by a series of knee injuries, Brown entered management with Clyde in 1977. Brown then coached various Scotland youth teams until he was appointed Scotland manager in 1993. He held this position until 2001, the longest tenure for a Scotland manager, and they qualified for the UEFA Euro 1996 and 1998 FIFA World Cup tournaments. Brown later managed Preston North End, Motherwell and Aberdeen. He retired from management in 2013 and was appointed a non-executive director of Aberdeen.
Contents
Early life
Brown was born in Glasgow, but brought up with two younger brothers in Troon, Rutherglen and Hamilton, moving with his father's career as a physical education teacher, later a senior advisor on the subject. He was a keen golfer as well as watching Queen's Park and Hamilton Academical matches.
Playing career
Early career
Educated at the former Hamilton Academy, Brown played for the school in Scottish schools competitions and in youth international teams, before joining Rangers in 1957, being considered a top prospect.
Rangers
Brown was initially farmed out to Coltness United to gain experience, and was selected for the Scotland Junior squad. He failed to find a regular first team place at Rangers, with his progress halted by a knee injury and the arrival of Jim Baxter who played in the same position, and moved to Dundee on loan in October 1960.
Dundee
Brown was the first signing of Dundee manager Bob Shankly. Although knee surgery meant he barely played for the first team during his loan, the move was made permanent in the summer of 1961. Brown always traveled with the Dundee first team squad but this was before substitutes were commonly used. Thus he didn't make a competitive appearance until November 1961, then waited until February 1962 for his league debut when captain Bobby Cox was injured. Brown played in nine consecutive league games before becoming injured himself on 31 March in a 3–2 win against bottom placed Stirling Albion. Dundee won the Scottish league title that season and Brown's nine appearances entitled him to a medal. Brown stayed at Dundee for four and a half injury-affected years, making 16 total appearances for the Dark Blues but playing no active part in the club's European Cup run, or the 1964 Scottish Cup Final which they lost to Rangers. During that time he also completed a course in physical education and primary teaching at Jordanhill College, and was also a member of the pop music group Hammy and the Hamsters formed by six Dundee players.
Falkirk
Brown signed for Falkirk in 1965 on a part-time basis and went on to make 42 total appearances at Brockville. He was released in 1967 and signed for Stranraer, but his injured knee almost immediately required him to call time on his playing career, and he returned the signing-on fee he had received from the club.
Managerial career
Clyde
Brown quickly showed a keen interest in being involved in the coaching side of football and he became assistant manager of Motherwell in 1974. He got his first managerial job as part-time manager of Clyde in 1977, where he spent ten seasons – winning the Second Division championship in his first season – whilst also working as a primary school head teacher then a lecturer in primary education at Craigie College, Ayr.
Scotland
Brown was in charge of Scotland's youth teams. In 1989, he coached Scotland's Under-16s to the final of the 1989 FIFA U-16 World Championship and three years later coached the under-21s to the semi-finals of the 1992 UEFA Under-21 Championship.
Brown was assistant manager to Alex Ferguson for the Scotland senior team's campaign at the 1986 FIFA World Cup, and served the same role under Andy Roxburgh at the 1990 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 1992. He succeeded Roxburgh initially on an interim basis, after the team failed to qualify for the 1994 FIFA World Cup; his debut was a 3–1 loss away to Italy.
Brown took Scotland to Euro 96 and the 1998 World Cup, but resigned in October 2001, having failed to take Scotland to Euro 2000 and the 2002 World Cup. He was replaced by German Berti Vogts. Under Brown, Scotland beat England in the last Euro Championship qualifier at the old Wembley 1–0 on 17 November 1999; England had won the first leg 2–0 at Hampden Park and thus qualified at the Scots' expense.
Brown took charge of Scotland for 70 international matches, more than any other Scotland manager. He won 32 games, drew 18 and lost 20.
Preston North End
Brown then had a spell in club management when he was appointed manager of Preston North End in April 2002, but left by mutual consent on 29 August 2004 after a poor start to the league campaign. He later had a brief spell as football consultant at Derby County under former protégé Billy Davies, helping them win promotion to the Premier League in 2006–07. He was one of eight members of staff sacked alongside Davies in November after a poor start to the 2007–08 Premier League season.
In October 2008, 68-year-old Brown was linked to the vacant managerial position with Scottish First Division side Dundee, but the job went to Jocky Scott.
Motherwell
On 28 December 2009, it was announced that Brown would be taking charge of Motherwell, with Archie Knox as his assistant. Brown and Knox established Motherwell in the top six of the Scottish Premier League during their time in charge.
Aberdeen
Brown, who was working without a contract at Motherwell, rebuffed an initial approach by Aberdeen on 8 December 2010. He then had a change of heart after a second approach was made, and was appointed Aberdeen manager on 10 December.
On 14 March 2013, Brown announced he was retiring from football management at the end of the 2012–13 season. His retirement date was brought forward when Derek McInnes was appointed to the position on 5 April, with Brown accepting a position on the Aberdeen board.
Personal life
Brown was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1999 Birthday Honours for services to football. Brown was also awarded an honorary Doctorate of Arts by Abertay University in 2001.
He had two brothers: Jock was a football commentator, and Bob was the minister at Queen's Cross Parish Church in Aberdeen from 1984 until his retirement in 2008. Brown's grandson and namesake, Craig, plays for Stirling University in the Lowland League.
Brown died on 26 June 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
Player
- Dundee
- Scottish league champion: 1961–62
Manager
- Clyde
- Scottish Second Division (2): 1977–78, 1981–82
- UEFA under-21 Euros: Bronze 1992
- Toulon Tournament: Bronze 1991, 1993
- Personal
- Scottish Premier League manager of the month (4): January 2010, February 2010, January 2012 and October 2012
See also
In Spanish: Craig Brown (futbolista) para niños
