RIP Craig Brown

[twistandshout1983]

Just heard the sad news 

Best Scotland manager in my lifetime , a great year at the Well in 2010 also and dragged us from Gannon’s mess to a 12 game unbeaten run and that unforgettable 6-6 Hibs game among others 

Should never have left when he did in my opinion , but worked out not too bad at all with wee Stuart

 

[steelman1991]

RIP Craig - had the pleasure of meeting him at Stephen Craigan's testimonial dinner. A complete gent and took time to answer what I'm sure were the most inane questions. 

[Mad Dog]

He's only there out of courtesy. Rest in Peace.

[weeyin]

Sad to hear.

One of the few people heavily involved at all levels of the Scottish game who talked it up and put it in a positive light.

[Spiderpig]

RIP Craig, turned us into a very hard to beat team when he took over, will never forget the right hand he landed on the Odense coach that night at Fir park, never a man to be taken lightly 

[steelboy]

It'll always be funny that was telling Gannon at the Q&A in the Cooper Stand how he was a great young manager then two weeks later took his job. 

He had some cracking moments with us. Pumping Aberdeen at Pittodrie, beating Hearts twice at Tynecastle were enjoyable days. 

[pretzel]

What was his role at the club previously under Willie McLean, assistant manager?

He nearly guided us to a fine win against Rangers at Fir Park but a goal was chalked off for offside for us late on but it was well onside and as per they went on to equalise. 2010 was enjoyable for the best part, thoroughly enjoyed a game where we beat St Johnstone 4-0 midweek when Nick Blackman tore them apart with a first half hat trick.

[twistandshout1983]

12 minutes ago, pretzel said:

What was his role at the club previously under Willie McLean, assistant manager?

He nearly guided us to a fine win against Rangers at Fir Park but a goal was chalked off for offside for us late on but it was well onside and as per they went on to equalise. 2010 was enjoyable for the best part, thoroughly enjoyed a game where we beat St Johnstone 4-0 midweek when Nick Blackman tore them apart with a first half hat trick.

Yes it was assistant manager to Willie McLean

[MJC]

He was obviously a very good manager and had the ability to man-manage and get the best out of his players. Did an excellent job for Scotland and along with Archie Knox turned our season around in 09/10. From leaking goals left right and centre under Jim Gannon’s bonkers set up to being a hard side to beat in just two months resulting in a top six finish. And then there was 6-6 v Hibs which was completely uncharacteristic of a Craig Brown team but his teams had spirit and belief. 
 

The Euro run under him in summer 2010 was the best European experience I’ve had with us. For once we didn’t embarrass ourselves and actually came close to reaching the EL group stages. I seem to remember him brawling with one of those teams managers or coaching staff on the touchline at Fir Park during that run but can’t remember which side it was.

[twistandshout1983]

4 minutes ago, MJC said:

He was obviously a very good manager and had the ability to man-manage and get the best out of his players. Did an excellent job for Scotland and along with Archie Knox turned our season around in 09/10. From leaking goals left right and centre under Jim Gannon’s bonkers set up to being a hard side to beat in just two months resulting in a top six finish. And then there was 6-6 v Hibs which was completely uncharacteristic of a Craig Brown team but his teams had spirit and belief. 
 

The Euro run under him in summer 2010 was the best European experience I’ve had with us. For once we didn’t embarrass ourselves and actually came close to reaching the EL group stages. I seem to remember him brawling with one of those teams managers or coaching staff on the touchline at Fir Park during that run but can’t remember which side it was.

Was the home game against Odense ,  I think that season was our best chance ever of getting to a Euro group stage 

Missed a penalty that night , and hit the post .  Murphy if I remember right 

[pretzel]

4 minutes ago, twistandshout1983 said:

Was the home game against Odense ,  I think that season was our best chance ever of getting to a Euro group stage 

Missed a penalty that night , and hit the post .  Murphy if I remember right 

Yeah, Roy Carroll in goals for Odense ran to the dugout area just as we were about to take the penalty, they also got two guys sent off later on. I think it was the penalty incident that sparked the brawl with Broon and the Odense officials, then they nearly got into a fight with fans as they hung around the middle of the POD Stand steps.

[MJC]

Him and John Boyle had a set-to in the dugouts that same season after he’d went to Aberdeen. Boyle said something in his ear then tried to run away and Brown went after him. 
 

That spell from summer 2009 when Gannon came in to when Brown and Knox took over and then of course ditched us for Aberdeen in late 2010 was a mental but memorable spell for us. 
 

And of course him and Knox were often referred to as ‘Jack and Victor’ during their time here.

[twistandshout1983]

I was disappointed when he left the Well in 2010 , done an excellent job with Archie Knox in that year

Watched him on YouTube with Si Ferry recently, think it was from 3/4 years ago . He  was a great storyteller and the type of guy you could listen to easily

[wellsince75]

1 hour ago, twistandshout1983 said:

I was disappointed when he left the Well in 2010 , done an excellent job with Archie Knox in that year

Watched him on YouTube with Si Ferry recently, think it was from 3/4 years ago . He  was a great storyteller and the type of guy you could listen to easily

There's a few friends who saw him at after dinner events who all spoke very highly of his storytelling.   He also spoke very highly of Motherwell. 

I thought he and Knox were fabulous for us. a 47% win record over 45 games must be up there with the best 'Well managers.  

Thoughts are with his friends and family. 

[steelboy]

14 hours ago, pretzel said:

2010 was enjoyable for the best part, thoroughly enjoyed a game where we beat St Johnstone 4-0 midweek when Nick Blackman tore them apart with a first half hat trick.

I remember walking out of Fir Park that night thinking we were flying. Sitting 3rd after the first round of fixtures, Randolph in goals, back four keeping clean sheets, Las and Jenno dominating the middle of the park, Humphrey, Murphy, Blackman and Sutton in attack. What could go wrong.....?

 

[joewarkfanclub]

Sad news indeed. Great manager for Scotland and Motherwell. I wasnt best pleased with the way he left us to go to Aberdeen, but that was a measure of how well he had done for us. The Jack & Victor stuff was priceless, and no one will ever forget the 6-6 with Hibs. As others have said the Odense games were probably as good as we have been in a European context and we were desperately unlucky to go out that night. The "auld yin" brought all his years of experience into play in those games and it very nearly paid off. RIP Craig, you will be sadly missed.

[steelboy]

Brown gave us the most bizarre signing we ever made with the Casagolda saga.

Someone could easily make a True Crime podcast about that one. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ya Bezzer!]

A great of Scottish football, from his work with the various youth sides to managing or assisting probably Scotland's best ever international side and then an excellent spell with ourselves. 

Also a likeable and charismatic guy.

I can say with some pride that I was one of the few that was still in the stadium to see Jutkiewicz's goal! 

[Spiderpig]

11 hours ago, Ya Bezzer! said:

.

I can say with some pride that I was one of the few that was still in the stadium to see Jutkiewicz's goal! 

That goes for me as well probably my favourite well goal ever

[joewarkfanclub]

2 hours ago, Spiderpig said:

That goes for me as well probably my favourite well goal ever

Its certainly up there for the sheer audacity and execution of it, not to mention to euphoria it generated!