Craig Brown CBE

The former Scotland International team manager and current Aberdeen manager.

Craig played for Scottish schools, youth and junior international teams, before joining Rangers in 1958 from Coltness United, aged just 19. He failed to find a regular first team place, and moved to Dundee in October 1960, where he won a League Championship medal.

He stayed at Dundee for four and a half years, but was never a first team regular and only made 16 appearances for the Dark Blues. He signed for Falkirk in 1968 and went on to make 17 appearances at Brockville. He called time on his playing career in 1971 after five operations on his knee.

Craig 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 1982 - whilst also working as a primary school head teacher then a lecturer in primary education.

He returned to football full-time in 1986 when Scotland manager Andy Roxburgh appointed him as assistant manager. Brown was also in charge of Scotland´s youth teams. In 1989, he coached Scotland´s Under-16s to the final of the UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship and three years later coached the under-21s to the semi-finals of the 1992 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship.

He was appointed as manager of Scotland in December 1993, having been caretaker manager, with responsibility for games against Italy and Malta, since Roxburgh´s resignation in November.

Following the failure of Roxburgh´s side to go to the World Cup 94, however, Craig soon made up for this by taking Scotland to Euro 96. He also took Scotland to France 98, but resigned in 2001 having failed to take Scotland to Euro 2000 and World Cup 2002.

He was replaced by German Berti Vogts. Under him, Scotland beat England in the last ever Euro Championship qualifier at the old Wembley in 1999 by one goal to nil, although they lost the tie on aggregate.

He then had a spell in club management when he was appointed as manager of Preston North End in 2002 but left by mutual consent on August 29, 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.

Craig was made CBE in October 1999. He currently manages Aberdeen in the Scottish Premier League. He is recognised as one of the best speakers on the after dinner circuit.

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