Brewster, who rose to prominence at United, owed his career to former Rovers manager Jimmy Nicholl.
The legend of Craig Brewster is well ingrained in Dundee United.
However, the hero of Tannadice is the first to acknowledge that his life was genuinely transformed by Raith Rovers.
When Brewster left Forfar Athletic in 1991, having played for the Tangerines under legendary coach Paul Hegarty, he was a raw, rangy midfielder.
With the luxury of hindsight, it seems absurd that Brewster, who would go on to play for several elite Scottish clubs and become a star with Ionikos in Greece, would not be in high demand.
However, Jimmy Nicholl, the manager of Rovers, was the lone manager to put in a bid.
Brewster remembers, “I don’t know what might have happened if Jimmy Nic hadn’t come in for me.” Brewster was a sales representative for a waste disposal firm in addition to operating a sports store. “No one else recognized something in me that Jimmy did.
“My life was changed by him.”
In fact, Nicholl thought Brewster could play center forward.
A brilliant move.
Brewster’s second season with Raith, the First Division title-winning campaign of 1992/93, saw him team up with Gordon Dalziel in an explosive connection that saw them score 55 goals between them.
“I scored 22 goals and he scored 33; that much is true,” continued Brewster. However, I informed him, “Daz, those were 33 of my rebounds!”
“Daz was an absolute character, in there with Peter Heatherston, Jock McStay, Shaun Dennis, Sinky (David Sinclair). A young Mickey (Colin) Cameron. You want to be in the trenches with those boys.”
Brewster the Rovers travel agent
Brewster’s fondness for that group still shines through; a squad with the perfect balance of experience, young talent and irrepressible camaraderie.
“I remember organising two end of season trips – Tenerife and Mallorca – for 16 PLAYERS,” he continued.
“You might get that for a club-organised thing now, but this was just me organising it. When do you get that?
“That’s how much we enjoyed each other’s company and shows the spirit we had in that dressing room. It was an amazing time.”
His Rovers adventure was a good time rather than a long time.
Brewster, who only turned full-time 18 months into his stint with Raith – aged 26 – departed after two years at Stark’s Park, declining a crack at the top-flight with the Fifers.
“It was Hearts who came in first,” notes Brewster. “Sandy Clark wanted me in. But they were scared to go to a tribunal.
“Then, Jim McLean came in.
“I had been a young boy at Dundee United from 11 years of age and was freed at 17. When they came calling, my heart made the decision.”
“Oh no, what have we signed here?”
His return home would be far from plain sailing.
As Brewster recalls it, manager Ivan Golac had no real knowledge of him as a player and, as such, the new signing was forced to prove himself all over again.
He made his league debut against Aberdeen on August 7, 1993, with Golac fielding him on the left side of midfield. By Brewster’s own admission, “the game totally passed me by”.
Brewster’s next start would not come until October 16.
“At the start, I think a lot of fans were thinking, “oh no, what have we signed here?”” continued Brewster. “I was bombed for about a dozen games.
“I still remember playing in a reserve game at Tannadice against Celtic on the same day Raith were playing against Dundee in the Premier League at Dens Park.
“Honestly, I was wishing I was across the road.”
Presented with the choice between sulking and agitating, or fighting for his future, Brewster had some blunt conversations with his nearest and dearest.
Given his role in United’s Scottish Cup win of 1994, it is a sliding doors moment in the club’s history.
“I had some serious discussions with my mates and my father, and the message was: get the finger out, or else,” said Brewster.
“We can all blame other people or look for excuses. But ultimately, it’s always down to you. Sometimes, you need to take a serious look in the mirror and ask if you are doing enough.”
Final preparations for the Scottish Cup: golf and Hamilton Races
Brewster never looked back after recovering his spot; he describes his brace in the Scottish Cup draw against Motherwell in February 1994 as the time he “really became a United player.”
And when the Tangerines overcame Rangers 1-0 to win the Scottish Cup for the first time in their history, he fulfilled the childhood fantasy of every Arab kid by scoring the game-winning goal.
“I’d been to five of United’s six Scottish Cup finals, and we’d never won,” he said with a rueful smile. “However, Ivan (Golac) exuded confidence and serenity.
“The atmosphere was laid back. Some of the boys went to the races at Hamilton on the Friday. At East Kilbride, I was hitting golf balls on a driving range.
“As the boys were having fun, it seemed like a fantastic idea to just go out and do what we do well. No demands made.
And later that year, Brewster would have the perfect vantage point when his old pals at Rovers stunned the other half of the Old Firm to lift the League Cup in November.
Brewster adds: “I was doing commentary with (Ally) McCoist at Ibrox for that game and was so pleased and proud for the Rovers.”
Ian Murray was a combative individual.
Looking ahead to Saturday’s mouth-watering showdown between United and Rovers, Brewster finds it difficult to look beyond the Terrors for the title – but is full of admiration for the job his old Hibs teammate Ian Murray has done at Raith.
“I think everyone would probably go for United to win the league, just given the size of club and stature of them,” added Brewster.
“But what Ian Murray – another old teammate of mine at Hibernian – has managed to do at Raith Rovers is just tremendous.
“Nid (Murray) was a fighter and grafter as a player, and he is instilling that into his players. They are running through brick walls for him, showing unbelievable character.”