Aberdeen v East Fife: Brown wary as former charges plot Dons downfall

Published on Friday 7 January 2011 16:24

Scottish Cup fourth round At Pittodrie, today, kick-off 3pm

Aberdeen manager Craig Brown is fully aware of the threat posed by East Fife from his days in charge of Scotland.

Not only is Brown, who led Scotland to the European Championships in 1996 and the 1998 World Cup, aware what it is like to be the underdog, he has also seen at close hand the damage East Fife trio John Robertson, Gordon Durie and Stevie Crawford can cause.

Robertson and Durie are now manager and first-team coach respectively at East Fife, who visit Pittodrie in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup today, with Crawford leading the line up front. "I'm used to being in the position of John Robertson and I know how his mind will be working," said Brown. "I know the psyche in the other dressing-room. I know what they'll be saying."

Robertson, Durie and Crawford were all capped by Brown for Scotland. He added: "These guys are excellent in terms of football knowledge. I've got great regard for them. They scored goals for Scotland when I was in charge of the team. I know their capability on the pitch and I'm really just glad Robbo and Gordon Durie aren't playing. But Stevie Crawford will have to be watched. Although he's getting on a bit, he's still very capable if they put the ball in the box. He's got a terrific pedigree for scoring goals."

Brown knows the Dons, who have won two and drawn one of his three games in charge, will be expected to win today. He said: "Our job is to ensure that there's no question of the players thinking this is routine. It will be a fiercely-contested game - I'm sure of that. Fifers don't come up here and lie down."

Aberdeen are already in the Co-operative Insurance Cup semi-final, qualifying for the last four under Mark McGhee, and Brown said: "I've got to say great credit to the club and the previous manager - we're in the semi-final of the Co-operative Insurance Cup, which is a good achievement. We'd like to get to at least that level in the Scottish Cup."

Robertson said: "We are coming out of cold storage to play a team that are doing well under a new manager so we have to be ready from the first whistle. It is a really tough tie but I want the players to go out and do themselves justice. We will look to win the game and who knows we may just cause a shock."