Scott Brown

Personal information
Full name	Scott Brown
Date of birth	25 June 1985 (1985-06-25) (age 24)
Place of birth	Dunfermline, Scotland
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Celtic
Number	8
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2002–2007	Hibernian	110	(13)
2007–	Celtic	73	(8)
National team‡
2003–2004	Scotland U19	3	(3)
2004–2005	Scotland U21	10	(0)
2005–	Scotland	19	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:15, 9 September 2009 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 11:22, 10 September 2009 (UTC)

Scott Brown (born 25 June 1985 in Dunfermline, Fife) is a Scottish association football player, currently playing for Scottish Premier League club Celtic. Brown, who started his professional career with Hibernian, is a regular in the Scottish national team. His transfer to Celtic from Hibs in the summer of 2007 broke the record for the biggest transfer fee paid between two Scottish clubs.^[1]

[edit] Club career

[edit] 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 2003^[2]. He made his first starting appearance the following week, a 1–0 win over Motherwell^[3]. Brown started in Hibs' remaining two matches of the season and scored in both, a double in a 2–1 against Livingston^[4] and in a 3–2 defeat to Partick Thistle^[5].

He became a regular fixture in the Hibernian team in the following season, 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 Julien Brellier,^[6] and missed Hibs' Scottish Cup semi-final defeat against Hearts. He featured in the last Edinburgh derby of the season, however, coming on as a substitute in a 2–1 win for Hibs. The 2006–07 season saw Brown emerge as one of the better players in the Scottish game. Brown helped Hibs win their first trophy in 16 years as they defeated Kilmarnock 5–1 in the 2007 Scottish League Cup Final,^[7] and he became a regular in the Scotland squad.

Brown handed in a transfer request to the Hibernian assistant manager, Tommy Craig, directly after their home game against Dundee United on 2 December 2006. The action was thought to be taken on the advice of Brown's agent Willie McKay.^[8] On 31 January 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 Rangers.^[9] 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:^[10]

Brown's remarks were to prove prescient as Reading were relegated at the end of the 2007–08 season. Despite intense speculation that he would move to Rangers, with Rangers fans taunting Hibs fans that Brown would sign for them, Brown agreed a move to Celtic.^[1][11] 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.^[12] Brown was transferred for £4.4 million, the largest transfer fee exchanged between two Scottish clubs.^[1] Brown scored in his final appearance for Hibs, against Celtic, who he had agreed to sign for the previous week. Unusually, the goal was cheered by both sets of supporters. He was also given a standing ovation from both sets of fans when he was substituted late on.

[edit] Celtic

Brown scored his first Celtic goal in a pre-season friendly against QPR on 15 July 2007 and played a key role in the early part of Celtic's SPL and Champions League campaigns in the 2007–08 season. On 6 November 2007, Brown was on the receiving end of a tackle by Gilles Binya during Celtic's 1–0 win over Benfica, but he was relatively unhurt. Binya was given a six match European ban following the dangerous challenge.^[13] 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 was played less as manager Gordon Strachan stuck with the pairing of Barry Robson and Paul Hartley in central midfield for the remainder of the season.

In the first three months of the 2008/09 season, Brown established himself as a constant in Celtic's midfield, ousting the more experienced Hartley. Experts have praised Brown for re-inventing himself as a more defensive minded player. Despite a deep position, Brown still contributes goals, notably scoring against former club, Hibernian on 25 October 2008. Brown was later rewarded for his outstanding performances for Celtic in the month of October with the Clydesdale Bank Player Of The Month Award.^[14]

In January 2009, Brown was named amongst thirteen others in FIFA's 'ones to watch in 2009'.^[15] FIFA commenting "2009 begins with this dynamic box-to-box midfielder widely regarded Celtic and Scotland's most important and valuable player. Direct, athletic and combative, Brown has thrived after successfully curbing a reckless streak that blighted last season, his first at Celtic since winning a £4.5 million move from Hibernian. So influential has the 23-year-old become, in fact, that the Scottish champions have reportedly turned down a £9 million bid from Portsmouth to take their midfield general south of the border during the January transfer window."^[15]

Brown was voted Man-of-the-match in the 2009 Scottish League Cup Final. Celtic defeated Rangers 2–0 at Hampden Park, which meant that Brown lifted the third trophy of his career. Brown was awarded the prize of SPFA Players' Player of the Year for the 2008–09 season.^[16]. He missed the final Old Firm game of the season, however, through suspension. Brown's absence proved to be pivotal as Celtic lost the match 1–0 at Ibrox, and Rangers went on to win the league by four points.

[edit] International career

Brown made his debut for the Scotland national team as a substitute in a friendly against the USA in November 2005.^[17] 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 champions Italy. Brown has since become a regular pick for the international starting line-up, and he was named by FIFA as a player to watch in 2009.^[15]

He scored his first goal for Scotland on 5 September 2009, in a match against Macedonia..

[edit] International goals

Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first.

Goal	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	5 September 2009	Glasgow, Scotland	Macedonia	1–0	2–0	FIFA World Cup 2010 qualifying

[edit] Career statistics

Last updated 6 August 2009

[edit] Honours

Hibernian

• Scottish League Cup: 2007

Celtic

• Scottish Premier League: 2008
• Scottish League Cup: 2009

Individual

• SPFA Players' Player of the Year: 2009
• SFWA Young Player of the Year: 2007

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Scott Brown career stats at Soccerbase
• Scott Brown profile at scottishfa.co.uk
• Profile of international appearances on London Hearts