Scott Brown (Scottish footballer)

Football player infobox
playername = Scott Brown


fullname = Scott Brown
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1985|6|25
cityofbirth = Dunfermline
countryofbirth = Scotland
height = height|m=1.75
currentclub = Celtic
position = Midfielder
clubnumber = 8
years = 2002–2007
2007–
clubs = Hibernian
Celtic
caps(goals) = 110 (13)
054 0(3)
nationalyears = 2004–2005
2005–
nationalteam = Scotland U-21's
Scotland
nationalcaps(goals) = 010 0(0)
013 0(0)
pcupdate = 3 September, 2008
ntupdate = 20:35, 10 September 2008 (UTC)

Scott Brown (born June 25 1985 in Dunfermline, Fife) is a Scottish international footballer, currently playing for Scottish Premier League club Celtic.

Club career

Hibernian

Brown played junior football in the "Fife Youth League" with clubs including Inverkeithing United and Foulford Royals of Cowdenbeath. He signed for Hibernian as a professional in 2002 and made his debut as a substitute in a 3-1 win over Aberdeen in May 2003cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/2991239.stm|publisher=BBC Sport website|title=Hibs outshine Dons|date=3 May 2003] . He made his first starting appearance the following week, a 1-0 win over Motherwellcite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/3014519.stm|publisher=BBC Sport website|title=Brebner strike stuns Well|date=10 May 2003] . Brown started in Hibs' remaining two matches of the season and scored in both, a double in a 2-1 against Livingstoncite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/3032479.stm|publisher=BBC Sport website|title=Brown is Hibs hero|date=17 May, 2003] and in a 3-2 defeat to Partick Thistlecite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/2932004.stm|publisher=BBC Sport website|title=Thistle beat Hibs in thriller|date=24 May 2003] .

The following season (2003-04), he became a regular fixture in the Hibernian team, playing 41 times in all competitions and netting 4 goals. Despite a disappointing league campaign, in which they eventually finished eighth, Hibs reached the final of the League Cup, defeating both Celtic and Rangers en route. However, they were defeated 2-0 by Livingston in the final. Brown featured in all the matches of Hibs' League Cup run and scored in the 9-0 win over Montrose in the third round.

In season 2004-05, Brown, along with several other young players at the club, flourished under the guidance of new manager Tony Mowbray. Brown, largely due to missing four months of the season due to an injury sustained against Celtic, only featured 23 times. He scored two goals, including the second goal in a 3-1 win over Celtic at Celtic Park.

Season 2005-06 was also blighted somewhat by injury. He missed most of the second half of the season due to a broken leg, sustained in a challenge with Rangers hard tackling Ian Murray, and missed Hibs' Scottish Cup semi-final defeat against Hearts. He did, however, feature in the last Edinburgh derby of the season, coming on as a substitute as Hibs won 2-1.

The 2006-07 season saw Brown emerge as one of the leading players in the Scottish game. Brown helped Hibs win their first trophy in 16 years as they won the CIS Cup, defeating Kilmarnock 5-1 in the finalcite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/6456647.stm|publisher=BBC Sport website|title=Kilmarnock 1-5 Hibernian|date=18 March 2007] , and he became a regular in the Scotland squad.

Transfer

Brown handed in a transfer request to the Hibernian assistant manager, Tommy Craig, directly after their home game against Dundee United on December 2 2006. The action was thought to be taken on the advice of Brown's agent Willie McKaycite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hibernian/6202630.stm|publisher=BBC Sport website|title=Brown hands in transfer request|date=2 December 2006] .

On January 31 2007, however, Brown announced that he was retracting his transfer request and was now 'happy' to remain with Hibernian for the duration of his contract, which was due to end in summer 2009. Despite this, media rumours continued to suggest that he would move in summer 2007. Former Hibernian teammate Kevin Thomson, who had signed for Rangers in January 2007, claimed to have spoken with Brown about joining him at Rangerscite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/6326341.stm|publisher=BBC Sport website|title=Thomson urges Brown to join Gers|date=2 February 2007] . Subsequent reports linked him with a transfer to other clubs in the summer, including Celtic, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, Middlesbrough and Reading.

Reading confirmed that they reached agreement with Hibernian to sign Brown, but the player refused the move, saying:

"If I had chosen Reading I would probably be fighting a relegation battle next season and then maybe disappearing into the Championship. In two years' time people would have been saying, 'Remember that lad Scott Brown - whatever happened to him?'" [cite news | date=2007-05-17 | url=http://www.football.co.uk/reading/dillon_slams_mouthy_brown_246821.shtml | title=Dillon slams mouthy Brown | publisher=www.football.co.uk |date= May 24 2007] .

Brown's remarks were to prove prescient as Reading were relegated at the end of the 2007-08 season.

Despite the intense speculation regarding a move to Rangers or the English Premier League, Brown agreed a move to Celtic for £4.4 million, the largest transfer fee exchanged between two Scottish clubs, on May 16 2007cite news
title = Scott Brown signs for celtic
url = http://www.celticfc.net/news/stories/news_160507114940.aspx
publisher = Celtic FC
date = 2007-05-16
accessdate = 2007-05-16] cite news
title = Brown completes switch to Celtic
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/6661737.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2007-05-16
accessdate = 2007-05-16] . Brown's agent, Willie McKay, confirmed the deal to Sky Sports, saying Brown had signed a 5 year contract and was excited about playing for such a successful club and the chance to play UEFA Champions League football cite news
title = Brown agrees Celtic move
url = http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=466855&CPID=14&clid=61&lid=2&title=Brown+agrees+Celtic+move&channel=football_home&
publisher = Sky Sports
date = 2007-05-15
accessdate = 2007-05-15] .

Brown scored in his final appearance for Hibs, ironically against Celtic, who he had agreed to sign for the previous week. The goal was unusually cheered by "both" sets of supporters. He was also given a standing ovation from both sets of fans when he was substituted late on.

Celtic

Brown scored his first Celtic goal in a pre-season friendly against QPR on July 15 2007 and played a key role in the early part of Celtic's SPL and Champions League campaigns in the 2007-08 season.

On November 6 2007, Brown was on the receiving end of a tackle by Gilles Binya during Celtic's 1-0 win over S.L. Benfica, but he was relatively unhurt. Binya was given a six match European ban following the dangerous challenge. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7097971.stm|title=Six-match ban for Benfica's Binya|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=May 30|accessyear=2008]

By April 2008, Brown had picked up 13 yellow cards and was suspended for 3 matches, including two Old Firm games. On his return from suspension he has played less as manager Gordon Strachan has stuck with the pairing of Barry Robson and Paul Hartley in central midfield.

International career

Brown made his debut for the Scotland national team as a substitute in a friendly against the USA in November 2005cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/4420348.stm|publisher=BBC Sport website|title=Scotland 1-1 USA|date=12 November 2005] . He was then put back into the Under-21 squad for a few years, although he was added to the full squad for the match with Lithuania in September 2006. He was selected for the full squad for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against France and Ukraine in October 2006, but was not used in either game.

He made his competitive debut for Scotland in a Euro 2008 qualifying match against Georgia, coming on as a substitute for Gary Teale. Having performed well as a substitute against Georgia, Brown made his first start for Scotland in the following match, a 2-0 loss against World Cup holders Italy, in which Brown was praised by many for his performance. After this performance, Brown has became a favoured pick for the international starting line-up.

tatistics

"Last updated October 5 2008"

Honours

flagicon|Scotland Hibernian
*flagicon|Scotland Scottish League Cup (2007)flagicon|Scotland Celtic
*flagicon|Scotland Scottish Premier League (2008)

References

External links

*soccerbase|id=33673|name=Scott Brown
*SFA Profile|id=26599|name=Scott Brown
* [http://londonhearts.com/scotland/players/scottbrown.html Profile of international appearances on London Hearts]