Captain. Leader. Legend – Ask a Celtic fan what their opinion is of Scott Brown and inevitably one or more of those three words will be included in their reply.
New Aberdeen manager Stephen Glass would add team-mate and has sealed Brown on a pre-contract as a play-coach for next season.
The Hoops skipper is the man Glass wants by his side at Pittodrie and Broony has decided to call time on his trophy-laden career at Celtic Park as a result.
Brown’s influence on Celtic can be measured in two ways. Tenure and trophies. Both are hugely significant as in his 14 years at the club he has won 22 competitions.
It tells you a few things. One, his value both in the dressing room and his impact on Scottish football. Both have been hugely significant.
He is adored by the Celtic faithful, but clearly, beyond Celtic Park, Brown has been and continues to be the marmite figure in the game.
Brown has been the heartbeat of an all-conquering Celtic team for more than a decade. He has broken the heart of many an Aberdeen fan in that time and it is that hurt which will likely make his arrival a difficult pill to swallow initially.
He has been the Dons’ tormentor-in-chief after all, but ask yourself this – would you like to have Brown in your team or play against him?
Whatever your view, love him or hate him, there is little doubt he commands respect.
It’s that respect which will have factored in heavily to Glass’ desire to bring him north. He will be 36 by the time the 2021-22 season gets under way, but, make no mistake, when Brown does arrive at Pittodrie, you can be sure he will be an impactful presence.
His powers on the pitch may be on the wane – time waits for no man after all – but as he showed with his man-of-the-match display in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with champions Rangers, there is still plenty of life in those old legs.
In short, Brown is a mentality monster. His drive to get the absolute best out of himself and those around him are his hallmark and it is no surprise that his reduced influence on the pitch has coincided with the Hoops’ decline this season.
Brown’s knowledge, mental strength and desire are qualities which will be a goldmine, not just for Glass, but for the younger players in the Aberdeen midfield. We’re looking at you Lewis Ferguson, Ross McCrorie and Dean Campbell.
To use a US sporting cliché, Brown can be a locker room leader at Aberdeen, but what we do not know is what impact he can have in a coaching capacity.
That is what makes the prospect of a Glass and Brown partnership so exciting. It’s untried, untested, uncharted waters for both the club and the men in question.
It might be a bumpy ride at times, but it is not going to be dull.
