The best Scott Brown quotes, featuring Vinnie Jones, Steven Gerrard and more

March 27, 2021

It’s been heartening to see the platitudes coming the way of Scott Brown this week.

The iconic Celtic captain announced he’ll be leaving the Bhoys come the summer. His new journey begins in Aberdeen, following new manager Stephen Glass in a player/coach role.

However, for all the positives coming Broony’s way, it’s fair to say the combative Bhoys legend ruffled a few feathers. His leadership style, wonderful propensity to wind up opposition and battling demeanour made him unpopular exclusively to some of the worst figures in football.

Broony said it himself [Talking Baws]:

“Some people like you, and some people don’t, and I really don’t give two monkeys to be fair.”

Akin to our countdown of Brown’s funniest moments, let’s take a look at who he had on strings, and what they said about the outgoing Celtic captain.

Vinnie Jones – not a fan of Scott Brown / (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

Vinnie Jones

Film hard-man, Conservative Party supporter and “footballer” Vinnie Jones is no fan of Broony. After Scott Brown sensationally wound up Rangers in March 2019 [BBC], the actor said [Scottish Sun]:

“He’s wound him up and the Rangers lad [Kent] has lashed out at him.

“He’s either got to wise up, man up and deal with it in a tackle or something else like that, or he’s going to be down the road.

“I would have waited, said ‘Alright son’, set one up and then smashed him later on.

“You couldn’t really get away with it when we were playing. But it’s even harder now with all the cameras and everything.”

Phwoar! Wotcha! Sit doon, mate. Absolutely rotten stuff from the former Wimbledon man.

Ok mate. / (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Ian Holloway

Managerial odd-ball Ian Holloway wasn’t impressed by Brown either. Talking to famously impartial TalkSPORT presenter Jim White, the former Grimsby Town boss said [TalkSPORT]:

“I look at him sometimes and I want to knock him out.”

“The passion in that part of the world, it’s all part of it, but you’ve got to be telling your players not to rise to it.

“I know I wouldn’t be able to [punch him] and he’s a good player. It’s all about the passion and he gets it.

“But I do feel he’s stepped over the mark and you shouldn’t be going to the crowd like that.”

Do you, aye? Sit doon.

Spicy scenes from 2013 / (Photo by Michael Regan – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)

Steven Gerrard

Bet you didn’t see this one coming!

Before he took the reins over at [Insert your own ‘Ibrox’ nickname here], Gerrard was a fan of Broony’s. Providing analysis for Sky Sports back in 2018, the Liverpool legend backed Scott Brown’s rugged approach.

For context, it was after a game against Hearts, in which Craig Levein was precious about Broony tackling one of his players.

Gerrard said [Daily Record]:

“I’ve played against Scott Brown and he’s a tough competitor, a really good player.”

Shinnie and Broony: battlers / (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

Graeme Shinnie

We have no particular beef with Graeme Shinnie, but this one’s just very funny. Speaking on Open Goal with Si Ferry, current Derby County man Shinnie talked about when Celtic handily disposed of Scott Brown’s next club.

The battle between the former Aberdeen man and Brown had been talked up in the press. For Shinnie, it just wasn’t to be [Open Goal]:

“They pumped us 3-0 at Pittodrie and they battered us. The football they were playing was unreal.

“He came up behind me and whispered in my ear: “do you want a touch of the ball wee man?”

Jeremie Frimpong battling Loic Damour / (Photo by Ewan Bootman/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Loic Damour

You come at the King, you best not miss.

That was the lesson learned by former Cardiff man Loic Damour. The Frenchman tried to take on Scott Brown and, well… it didn’t quite work out. After a 2-0 defeat for Hearts against a rampant Celtic side, Damour told the Edinburgh Evening News:

“I enjoyed the battle, especially with Brown, I think his name is.

“Apparently he is like the king of the league because he can do whatever he wants on the pitch and the referee never says anything.

“He is the referee on the pitch and that is seemingly normal here. I was very frustrated about that so I wanted to let him know we have a referee on the pitch and he is not the referee.”

Talk about your sore losers. Again: sit doon.

Maybe, just maybe, we’ll get some more choice quotes before the season’s end. Broony still has a handful of matches left for Celtic, and he’s never been the type to let a good moment pass.

What fun we’ve had with the iconic no.8.

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