BROWN WARNS OF NICE GUY HOLT’S MEAN STREAK
HE is the genial man credited with newly-promoted Livingston’s remarkable rise to third place in the Premiership. But former Scotland boss Craig Brown insists Gary Holt’s friendly demeanour masks the same ferocious streak that ran through past greats of the dugout such as Sir Alex Ferguson and Jock Stein. Out of football for two-and-a-half years, Holt was hungry to succeed after being finally handed his big break, chosen to succeed the sacked Kenny Miller at Livvy. Under his stewardship, the West Lothian side have now won four and drawn one, the highlight being Sunday’s fine 1-0 home win over Steven Gerrard’s Rangers. Brown, who handed Holt the first of ten caps for his country back in 2000, is impressed but not surprised by the impact of the former midfielder, who looks a cert to be Ladbrokes Premiership Manager of the Month for September. ‘It’s great to see Gary Holt doing so well,’ said Brown. ‘I gave him his debut for Scotland against Latvia 18 years ago and I always thought he could be an excellent manager. ‘When you think of the good Scottish managers over the years, they have all had that tough streak. ‘The likes of Jock Stein and Alex Ferguson are as hard as nails and Gary has a touch of that about him too. But he was also a top player. ‘He won the Scottish Cup with Kilmarnock and he’s played for his country. The players at Livingston will look at that and see a guy who can help them improve. After winning on Sunday, I bet he’s thrilled to be back in the dugout. ’ Brown believes Hearts, Hibs and Livingston occupying the top three places is a breath of fresh air for the national game. ‘I think it’s good the league is highly competitive at the moment,’ he said.