Football mourns death of Bobby
BY MICHAEL GANNON SCOTTISH football was last night mourning the loss of a legend after Bobby Brown died at the age of 96.
Rangers chairman Dave King led the tributes to the Ibrox Hall of Fame star who helped Scotland lay claim to the title of unofficial world champions.
Brown spent a trophyladen decade as Rangers keeper from 1946, including the Treble victory in 1949, before going on to manage St Johnstone and the national side after hanging up his gloves.
The man from Dunipace was Scotland’s first fulltime manager at the end of the old selection committee system.
And he masterminded the famous Wembley win
against world champions England in 1967 on his competitive debut.
The SFA said: “Everyone at the SFA is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former Scotland player and manager Bobby Brown. He will be sadly missed.”
Before his death, Brown was the oldest living Rangers player and chairman King said: “We are deeply saddened to hear that Mr Brown, a genuine Rangers and Scotland legend, has passed away.
“He was a wonderful servant of our club and we will remember him with great fondness. He was a gentleman of the game and set standards which typify what Rangers is about.”
Brown became Rangers No.1 after World War II despite remaining a part-time player. He had already made history by becoming the last player to be capped as an amateur at Queen’s Park and continued to combine work as a PE teacher with his Ibrox duties.
Brown kept 109 clean sheets as part of the legendary Iron Curtain defence beside George Young, Jock Shaw, Ian McColl, Willie Woodburn and Sammy Cox.
The keeper moved to Falkirk before going full-time for the first time as manager of St Johnstone in 1958.
He led the Muirton Park side to promotion and St Johnstone said in a statement: “The club is deeply saddened to hear Bobby has passed away.”
Brown was appointed Scotland’s first permanent manager in February 1967.
And his first competitive match in charge ended in one of our greatest triumphs – that 3-2 win at Wembley.
Not that his big achievement earned him instant fame. As his squad partied that night, Brown stepped out of their London hotel for a breath of fresh air where he bumped into a well-lubricated member of the Tartan Army.
“See you, Scotland 3 England 2 – we beat you easily and don’t ever forget it”, declared the fan, unaware he was jabbing his finger into the chest of the man who had masterminded the whole affair. In an exclusive interview with Record
Sport in 2017, Brown said: “I look back with pride and gratitude at my good fortune, having played with and managed so many great players.”
Rangers will hold a minute’s silence before tomorrow’s game with Stranraer.