The Celtic hero took to the dugout with the Honest Men earlier this season at Ibrox
Scott Brown always anticipated a challenging task when leading his Ayr United team against Rangers in the Scottish Cup. This expectation proved accurate as Philippe Clement’s team emerged victorious with a 2-0 scoreline, although Ayr United displayed resilience throughout the match. From the moment Brown assumed the managerial role, he was certain that Clement wouldn’t field a weaker lineup against the esteemed Celtic icon, knowing that fans wouldn’t accept it.
Reflecting on the match with a hint of humor, Brown acknowledges the glaring contrast in quality when Rangers substituted highly-paid players, contrasting with Ayr United’s introduction of young debutants. Speaking on the Celtic State of Mind podcast, Brown remarked, “You get the job, and the draw had already been made. You’re going to Ibrox. It made the club a lot of money, which was great for the budget. But I’m sitting there thinking, ‘Yep. I’m sure they’re not going to play their second team against me.'”
He continued, “As expected, they fielded their strongest team. However, our players competed admirably and defended resolutely. We remained in the game until the 78th minute when they scored their second goal. You couldn’t help but feel proud of the lads, especially considering that some of them had never played at Ibrox before. The difference in quality was evident.”
Brown highlighted the financial contrast between the two teams, noting that while Rangers brought on high-earning players, Ayr United introduced 17-year-old debutants. He emphasized, “We brought on a young kid at 17 for his debut. We actually brought on two 17-year-olds, whereas they brought on Lundstram and somebody else. It shows you the levels.”
GET MORE RELATED CONTENTS ON HALFTIMENEWS.CO.UK
Leave a Reply