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Former Aberdeen manager Alex Ferguson is proof of the old adage that great players do not necessarily make great managers. Fergie by his own admission was never one of the greats of the game during a career that saw him played for several Scottish clubs but was never capped at full international level.

New Aberdeen manager Craig Brown, like his colleague at Hampden Andy Roxburgh, were perhaps similar in many ways as they never really aspired to great heights during their playing careers, in Craig's case because of injury. It is of course as managers and coaches that all three have been outstanding in the Scottish game and further afield. Brown continues a long Pittodrie tradition when it comes to looking after the national side, as he follows on from Andy Beattie, Ally MacLeod and Alex Ferguson who all have strong Aberdeen links.

Craig Brown was the 13th manager to take charge of the Scotland national side. The previous incumbents were Andy Beattie, Matt Busby, Ian McColl, Jock Stein (first term), John Prentice, Malcolm McDonald, Bobby Brown, Tommy Docherty, Willie Ormond, Ally McLeod, Jock Stein (second term), Alex Ferguson and Andy Roxburgh.

Although he never played for Scotland at 'A' international level, Craig was selected for Scotland at Schoolboy, Junior and Youth level. He played for Rangers, Dundee and Falkirk before his career was brought to an early end by a serious knee injury which has required several operations.

While with Dundee he won a Scottish League Championship medal for season 1961-62, and was in the squad which reached the semi-final of the European Champion Clubs' Cup the following year. Following his retiral as a player, Craig combined a career in education with football management. A four year term as Assistant Manager with Motherwell was followed by ten years as Manager of Clyde, when the club won two League Championships.

He joined the SFA's staff in August, 1986. In seven years as Assistant Technical Director and Assistant National Coach, Craig was in charge of Scotland's Under 21 team which was finished third in Europe in 1992, the Scotland Under 19 team which was sixth in the World Cup in 1987, and the Scotland Under 17 team which lost on penalties to Saudi Arabia in the World Cup Final in 1989. After one game in temporary charge, against Italy in Rome (1-3), he was appointed International Team Manager on 17th November, 1993, in succession to Andy Roxburgh.

Under his charge, the Scotland international team qualified for Euro '96 in England, failing by the narrowest of margins to get to the quarter finals, and continued its run of excellent results by qualifying for France '98. He resigned following the 2-1 victory over Latvia in October, 2001, and although he continued with the SFA as Director of Football Development, he left the SFA after he was appointed manager of Preston North End in May, 2002.

Last year Craig Brown made a surprise return to the SPL along with his colleague Archie Knox. It has been their careful guidance and management of the Fir Park side during that period which made them the outstanding choice for Aberdeen.