Bobby Brown Is Now The Grand Old Man Of Scottish Football

THE death last weekend of Andy Paton means that former Scotland goalkeeper and manager Bobby Brown is now The Grand Old Man of Scottish Football - the oldest living former Scotland cap.

 

In his 91st year, Brown remains sharp as a tack, still active and with much of the star quality he exuded as player and manager still intact. He is the single former cap in his tenth decade, although, God willing, his old comrade-in-arms from the 'Iron Curtain' Rangers defence, Sammy Cox, will shortly double the membership of the tenth decade club.

 

Paton was one of those players whose reputation has suffered from his not having played for either half of the Old Firm, but, he was a fine centre-half, ahead of his time in many ways through his ability to actually beat a man and play football, rather than being a simple, no-nonsense stopper.

 

Certainly, his form of skill-based defending had a profound effect on no less a defender than Billy McNeill, who, as a Lanarkshire boy, often went to watch Motherwell, rather than travelling into Celtic Park. In one of the tributes posted following Paton's death, McNeill paid fulsome tribute to his skills.

 

 

 

I FIND myself increasingly scornful of the English football media's efforts to manufacture a crisis around David Moyes' comparative lack of success since inheriting the Old Trafford hot seat from old Red Nose.

 

Whatever he did when taking over, Moyes was on a hiding to nothing. He did, after all, inherit the reigning English Champions. Had he done nothing, simply left the playing squad as was, he'd probably have been criticised for lacking a belief in his own ability, or worse, risked - although there wasn't the same mutual loathing - a sort of Brian Clough/Leeds United scenario.

 

But, you have to admit, he did take-over a good side, albeit one which needed freshening-up. He has done this, without perhaps getting the response he wanted, but, although they are out of the two English cup competitions and trailing in the league, most of the other English Premiership managers would surely give their eye teeth to be in Moyes' current situation.

 

OK, United are not, perhaps, providing the level of entertainment the prawn sandwich brigade might like, or the legend of the Holy Trinity and the Busby Babes might demand. Certainly, Fergie probably timed his retiral well, I don't think, even had he stayed, results would have been much different.

 

He needs to replace the Ferdinand/Vidic defensive axis, and, it is perhaps more Fergie's fault than Moyes's that the young pretenders to the central defensive roles haven't trained on as had been hoped for when they were signed.

 

But, a though for those who are calling for Moyes' head - have another look at the dvd of the Fulham game. Surely any side which can create the chances United made, will have more good days than bad days. With just a smidgeon of luck, that game would have finished 7-2 to United, rather than a 2-2 draw.

 

You write-off Moyes and United at your peril.