Hibs had some fantastic young players during the mid-2000s.
Kevin Thomson was a talent in midfield, while ex-Celt Derek Riordan and Garry O’Connor were scoring goals for fun in the Scottish Premier League.
Scott Brown was another starlet in that side and was known for his endless running power and a never-say-die attitude.
So it was no surprise Rangers and Celtic both wanted to sign Brown in 2007 from the Hibees.
And Brown has now revealed, looking back on that time, that Walter Smith wanted to recruit him for Rangers to play alongside skipper Barry Ferguson.
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Scott Brown on Rangers and Celtic transfer talks
We all know of Rangers pursuing Brown and how the transfer talks were held in a car park compared to Celtic’s negotiations at Dermot Desmond’s luxury pad in London.
But Brown has delivered some new details, including that Rangers had their bid accepted first by Hibs, and that Smith wanted a midfield three of Brown, Ferguson and Thomson.
Speaking on Charlie Mulgrew’s YouTube channel ‘Mulgrew Pitch to Par’, Brown recalled: “At the time, I didn’t really know about Rangers and Celtic bidding. The next couple of days, it slowly came out that Rangers and Celtic both put a bid in.
“It had been accepted, but Rangers’ bid had been accepted first. So then I was going to speak to David Murray, Walter and Coisty because obviously I had those two at Scotland at the time.
“So I went and spoke to them at the car park just down the road from Ibrox, don’t even know what it’s called. Back of a car, three of them and me.
“The talks were that me, Fergie and Thommo were going to be the three in the middle of the park, build a team of Scottish players, show what you can do and fight for your place.
“And I was like: ‘Aye not bad’. Didn’t speak about money or anything, it was just to get a wee understanding.
“Then I spoke to Celtic who flew me down to London. Went to Dermot’s house which was unbelievable, in Knightsbridge, somewhere like that.
“I spoke to Peter, Gordon, and from there I kind of thought… I got on really well with Gordon and Tommy was firing me messages saying: ‘Come to the good side’.
“And the rest is history, to be fair. Overall, I made the right decision didn’t I?”
Brown became one of Celtic’s most decorated players
Brown went on to captain Celtic during one of the club’s most successful eras, winning 22 major trophies in his time at Parkhead.
He was the skipper across the Quadruple Treble years, a feat that may never be replicated in Scottish football.
Brown is the fifth most decorated Celt ever, with Billy McNeill, Callum McGregor, Bobby Lennox and James Forrest ahead of him.
Forrest and McGregor could add to their incredible tallies this season as Celtic seek more domestic dominance.
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