Craig Brown: I was entitled to change my mind and quit Motherwell for Aberdeen

Brown and Knox then angered some Motherwell supporters by leaving to join Aberdeen

This week Brown (77), discussed the permutations of his acrimonious managerial switch with the Motherwell Times ahead of this Saturday’s William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final between the teams.

The current Aberdeen director, who took assistant Archie Knox with him to Pittodrie eight years ago just 12 months after taking over at ’Well on a non contract basis, said: “I initially said I wasn’t going to Aberdeen because I knew we were a far better team than them. We had just been to Pittodrie and won 3-0.

“I decided I wasn’t going at first and I remember being very honoured when Motherwell players Stevie Hammell, Stephen Craigan and Keith Lasley thanked me for staying.

Craig Brown (right) and Archie Knox worked together at Motherwell for a year from December 2009

“But I then got another call from Aberdeen asking if I would reconsider and you are allowed to change your mind.

“It wasn’t to do with money. I went to Aberdeen for roughly the same I was getting paid at Motherwell.

“I wouldn’t have left ’Well if I’d had a contract signed there.

“I was also in discussions with Archie, who had been at Aberdeen, and he said the potential there should be great.

“And I took a call from Sir Alex Ferguson in which he said Aberdeen was a super club.

“They were attracting crowds of 9000 or 10,000 when I took over, despite being bottom of the league.

“If you look at the record books, my record in the first 18 games there was as good as the current one enjoyed by Steve Clarke at Kilmarnock.”

Brown retired as Dons gaffer in April 2013 and was replaced by current incumbent Derek McInnes.