Stephen Glass reveals Scott Brown chats and how Celtic failed in last-ditch bid to stop Aberdeen move

Aberdeen’s league fixture against Celtic next Wednesday won’t stop Stephen Glass speaking to Scott Brown ahead of the midfielder's summer move to Pittodrie.

Celtic captain Scott Brown will face Aberdeen for the first time since signing a pre-contract deal with the Pittodrie club next week (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

The new Aberdeen manager has already been in regular touch with the Celtic skipper, who will become player-coach at Pittodrie, about next season’s plans.

Glass speculated whether interim Celtic manager John Kennedy would put Brown in the position of playing against his future teammates.

“I will (be in touch with him) because I’m desperate to beat him so I will put pressure on him,” said Glass. “I don’t know if John will play him next week and put him in that position. That’s John’s decision – and Scott’s and the club’s. If I was John, I might.

“He’s such a professional that if John Kennedy does put him in the team next week he would want to win. That’s the kind of guy we are attracting to this club.

“And if he smashes our players over the head next week then I think the players would expect it as well because that’s what Scott Brown is and that’s why we want him at our club and why he is coming."

Glass believes Brown would already be at Pittodrie if he was at any other club than Celtic.

“I am very respectful of Scott’s position at Celtic,” said Glass. “I am because of Scott’s respect for Celtic. If this was Scott playing for a ‘normal’ club then he probably would have stopped playing and come up here as a coach straightaway and played next year. But his respect for the club that has given him so much is enormous.

“I have to have that distance so when it gets close to match day I do stop hassling him because he has to look after Celtic.

“I hope it doesn't get into a situation where he is playing Aberdeen in a big cup game and he has to do the business. But stranger things have happened. It’s happened before between Celtic and Aberdeen – I am sure you guys all know that and will be hoping it happens probably!”

Glass was speaking as he was unveiled at Pittodrie almost a month after he was appointed to succeed Derek McInnes. He revealed Celtic were still trying to convince Brown to stay at the club when the player was at Aberdeen’s training complex signing his pre-contract agreement last month.

“The fact that Mr Lawwell said they tried desperately to keep Scott Brown says everything about Scott Brown,” said Glass. “I know for a fact they did on the last day that he was up here signing his pre-contract.

“They were desperate to keep him and there were people trying to convince him not to come.

“I believe I had provided everything that I could. He’s not here for the money. He’s here for the opportunity, for trust and the environment he’s going to be working in.”

Glass’ relationship with Brown dates to their days at Hibs together, and though there is a ten-year age gap, they have kept in touch since. One of the bonds between them is trust.

“A lot of people probably didn’t know I was friendly with him and that’s part of the trust level I’ve had with Scott,” said Glass. “In the last 15 years there’s so many people who’ve wanted to say ‘I’ve done this for Scott Brown’. I’ve never been in the papers saying ‘I’m Scott Brown’s mate’.”

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