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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Mark Pirie

How Scott Brown kept Celtic 'character' at Aberdeen as Pittodrie star reveals hilarious tactic used to run a tight ship

At Celtc, Scott Brown was a leader both on and off the park - and he didn't give that up at Aberdeen.

Despite a short spell at Pittodrie, his impact on the dressing room has been revealed by former Dons' defender Mikey Devlin.

The former Scotland international had initially signed up for a player-coach role under Stephen Glass but departed after Jim Goodwin took charge.

And after just 24 league games for Aberdeen Brown decided to bring his playing career to an end.

Former Hamilton Accies defender Devlin admitted he had heard stories about Brown's behind the scenes antics at Celtic, but wasn't fully prepared for his confidence levels in the Granite City.

And he revealed the current Fleetwood Town boss wasn't afraid to get tough over any rule breach.

Devlin told PLZ : "The first day he is sitting there, lying on the bed, with his hands behind his head, feet up; just terrorising the place.

'Straight away you can see how big a character he is, and see his confidence.

"He was the first one in the building. I was injured the full time he was there, and normally the injured boys are the first ones in. Never was I in before Broonie. He was the first player there and last one to leave.

Aberdeen defender Mikey Devlin (SNS Group)

"Every day he was in the gym, doing his warm up and watching the way he ate.

"I watched everything Broonie done; I know that sounds a bit like a fanboy but in Scotland you are going to find it difficult to find someone who has achieved what he has achieved.

"The demands he put on people at training, around the place, timekeeping, small things that can go unnoticed. Broonie, nothing went unnoticed with him.

"Even something stupid. We had a rule on the fine list, no phones were allowed 45 minutes before training.

"You were only allowed on your phone in the changing room, and at this point with Covid everybody was in different changing rooms.

"Broonie would come out the gym at 16 minutes past 10, we trained at 11, and because he was a hybrid of a coach and a player he was allowed in everybody's changing room.

"He would walk in and catch about five boys every day on their phone. He would just go tenner, tenner, tenner, and walk out.

'Every day he got it and had about £250 by the end of the week."

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