New Dons boss Brown defends Motherwell exit

Newly appointed Abderdeen manager Craig Brown insisted his conscience was clear after he joined the bottom of the table side from Scottish Premier League rivals Motherwell.

The 70-year-old former Scotland boss, who began his managerial career at Motherwell, returned to Fir Park last year and insisted his verbal agreement with Well chairman John Boyle meant either party could terminate his time there without compensation.

But an angry Boyle has reported the Dons to SPL chiefs for approaching Brown without his consent.

However, Brown said: “I have a very great affection for Motherwell Football Club. I was there in the 70s, fourth in the league and two semi-finals.

“The commitment I gave in the 70s and last year – we (Brown and assistant Archie Knox) answered a call, we went to Motherwell and did our best, and we’ve answered a call here (at Aberdeen). I don’t think it should be an issue.”

It all spices up Brown’s first match in charge of Aberdeen which, as luck would have it, is against Motherwell at Pittodrie on Saturday.

“I don’t want to add fuel to the fire but what I will say quite honestly is my conscience is totally clear,” Brown added.

Brown and Knox, assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson during Aberdeen’s glory days in the 1980s, saw their new team lose 5-0 at Hearts on Saturday to go bottom of the table on goal difference from Hamilton.

But Brown said he believed his Scotland experience would come in useful at Aberdeen.

“With the Scottish team, you are accountable to the whole nation but here the people in this area want to be proud of their team.

“Our objective quite simply is to make Aberdeen proud of their team.”