Craig Brown: Tributes paid to Scotland’s long-serving manager following passing aged 82

Brown was the last man to take Scotland to a World Cup finals back in 1998.

Tributes are flooding in for Scottish football icon and legendary manager Craig Brown, who has died at the age of 82.

The national team’s longest-serving manager, Brown was in charge for 71 games between 1993 and 2001, guiding the nation to qualification for Euro 96 and the FIFA World Cup in 1998. He also served on the coaching staff for the 1986 and 1990 finals.

Brown, who managed Preston North End and Motherwell before ending his career at Aberdeen in 2013, was awaded a CBE in 1999 for services to football.

Considered a top prospect after earning a move to Rangers in 1957, Brown saw his progress at Ibrox halted by a knee injury and the arrival of Jim Baxter who played in the same position. He later played for Dundee and Falkirk before stepping into management in 1977, spending nine years at Clyde.

Having impressed with Scotland as a youth coach, he was asked to join Sir Alex Ferguson’s backroom staff for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico and would serve as assistant to Andy Roxburgh during the 1990 World Cup and Euro 92 finals.

Brown succeeded Roxburgh as head coach, initially on an interim basis and he would go on to record 32 wins, 18 draws and 20 defeats.

The Scotland National Team twitter account posted a tribute, which read: “A true Scotland legend. Our thoughts are with Craig’s loved ones at this sad time.”

GlasgowWorld takes a look back at Brown’s spell as Scotland manager:

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