A TRUE LEGEND

Tributes for former Scotland coach who was 'right up there with the greats' and was last manager to take national team to the World Cup

- GORDON ROBERTSON

SCOTTISH football is in mourning following the death of legendary manager Craig Brown, aged 82. 

Brown was the last man to lead Scotland to the Word Cup Finals when the Dark Blues qualified for France 1998.

He passed away yesterday at Ayr hospital, surrounded by his family, after a short illness.

Tributes from the world of football and beyond were paid to a hugely popular figure who was said to deserve “his place in the pantheon of great coaches”.

First Minister Humza Yousaf said “A towering figure of the Scottish game, Craig Brown and the Scotland team he managed gave us many good memories over the years.

“You would be hard pressed to find a man who loved Scotland as passionately as he did. My thoughts with his family and friends at this sad time.”

While qualification for France 1998 was h i s crow ning achievement, the former schoolteacher also led Scotland to the European Championship in 1996 and was involved in a coaching capacity in three other major tournaments. Brown was manager of Scotland from 1993 until 2001.

The Glasgow-born ex-Rangers and Dundee player managed Clyde before his international coaching career, which also included leading Scotland Under-16s to a World Cup final and the Under-21s to a European semi-final.

He later managed Preston, Motherwell and Aberdeen before becoming a director at Pittodrie.

Mike Mulraney, Scottish FA president, spoke of the esteem Brown was held in by some of the best managers the country has produced.