Scott Brown has admitted he “probably” should have retired from playing when he joined Aberdeen.
The Celtic legend linked up with former Hibs teammate Stephen Glass at the Dons in the twilight of his career, leaving Parkhead to take on a player-coach role after his pal landed the top job at Pittodrie.
Brown and his Hoops side had dominated Scottish football for years but he was 36 at the time of his move to the north-east and no longer at the peak of his powers. He also had the challenge of combining playing with being part of the coaching staff.
Glass didn’t succeed in the role and was sacked months in, and Brown would follow him out the door soon after when Jim Goodwin took over and decided to go in a different direction.
Brown should have retired from playing at Aberdeen
Now Ayr United manager, he has been reflecting on that period and reckons it may have been smart to concentrate solely on the coaching.
He told the Let Me Be Frank podcast: “Should I have retired? Maybe I probably should have but I went up to Aberdeen to try to learn and to have an understanding and because Glassy was there.
“I was with Glassy at Hibs, and we kept in touch the whole time. When you get that opportunity to go and learn the other side of it, I don’t know if I would ever have got that opportunity at Celtic.
“I never really asked, if I’m honest. But to have somebody come up and offer me that was the next best thing for me. I probably shouldn’t have done the playing coach.
“I should probably have just done more of the coaching and having that understanding because it was a great experience for me.”
Brown is flying with Ayr United
The 39-year-old always wanted to work his way up to being a manager in his own right. He got that when appointed Fleetwood Town manager and enjoyed a decent first season at the English side. However, things fell apart the following campaign and he was sacked with the team winless and bottom of League One.
His next chance came at Somerset Park and it is going far better. Brown and assistant Steven Whittaker steadied things last season and kept them away from the relegation play-offs.
And the Honest Men are now flying high at the top of the Scottish Championship, although Falkirk are level on points with two games in hand.