BOSSING IT

McGeady sure Broonie could still play for Ayr but gaffer only has eyes for the dugout

PACING up and down the Hampden technical area, there were moments when Scott Brown must have wished he was still directing operations from the middle of a pitch where he enjoyed so many glorious moments.

At various times he made his feelings clear as he threw up his arms or bellowed in exasperation at a misplaced pass or missed tackle from his players.

But the Somerset Park manager was ultimately all smiles after his first game in charge of Ayr saw them overcome 10-man Queen’s Park to climb to sixth in the Championship and boost their promotion play-off hopes.

Veteran Ayr winger Aiden McGeady, at 37 just a year younger than Brown, believes his former Celtic team-mate would still be capable of doing a job for the Honest Men as a player.

McGeady said: “I know what Scott was like as a player. He has a winning mentality that drives standards.

“We’re quite light on midfielders – I’m sure he could come out of retirement, get his boots back on and he’d be all right!

“Nah, I think he’s past that. He’s in full-on management mode now. I’ve seen that in him already. He’s got his manager’s hat on.

“We saw it in his first couple of days in charge of training. There’s no hiding place any more for anybody.