Scottish Cup blank is Craig Brown’s major regret

Craig Brown admits he regrets not being able to lead Aberdeen to a cup final before he retires – but he feels reaching the top six against the odds could be a fairytale finale.

The 72-year-old takes charge of his final game this afternoon before making way for Derek McInnes and the Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash with Dundee United at Tannadice is a must-win match for both teams.

Even then the winners need Kilmarnock to drop points at home to bottom club Dundee to ensure a top-six finish.

Brown said: “Normally it would be a very good fixture, the local derby, but it’s now even more important because there could be something at stake.

“If Kenny Shiels’ team does its job with a home victory it won’t matter really, but it will matter for us from a point of view of pride and eventual league position, so it’s a good end to the season – not as good as we would have hoped but it’s acceptable.

“We have to say Kilmarnock are favourites, then Dundee United with home advantage, then ourselves and Hibernian.

“It’s a cup final. We’ve got to try and get a victory. We have to go and challenge them to defend because we’re very good when we attack and United will know that.”

When asked about the prospect of going out on a high with the help of former club Dundee, Brown said: “It would perhaps be a fairytale, but I think it’s not out of the bounds of possibility.

“I thought at one point with the fixtures in front of me, that it was a possibility Kilmarnock could end up with two draws. If you were a betting man you would bet on Kilmarnock, but what we have to do is make sure that Aberdeen are the team that will be there if they slip up.”

Brown took some time to look back on his reign, drawing satisfaction from stabilising the club after taking over in December 2010 when they were struggling near the foot of the table.

His major disappointments were losing to Hibernian in the Scottish Cup in the last two seasons. “My major regret is that in the Scottish Cup semi-final we were beaten and I feel quite disappointed for the Aberdeen fans but also a bit angry that the inefficiency of an assistant ref cost a winning goal,” he said.

“I didn’t say that at the time but I thought it was quite apparent that [Garry] O’Connor was offside when he passed the ball to [Leigh] Griffiths. I’m not saying we would have won that game but we looked to be in the ascendancy and that was a big regret that that goal beat us.

“The goal that beat us at Easter Road this year was a good one but we missed a penalty and we should have had another one.

“So these are regrets, major ones, but you can’t live in the past and be moping about it. You’ve got take it on the chin, because I’ve had many pleasurable times to more than compensate for these disappointing times.”

Brown insisted he had not had the time to reflect too much on the end of his managerial career. “This is a 24-7 job,” the former Scotland manager said. “It’s next week I will feel the difference. If you ask me a week today, I would think there will be a void in my existence then, although I might be nipping off to the Masters next week.

“At the moment I don’t feel anything in terms of sadness or emotion but there might be next week. I’ve not felt too much emotion but I’ve felt a contentment because the goodwill is quite exceptional.

“They [fans] have given us gifts and cards and lovely emails and messages and the only payback we can give them is if the team performs well at Tannadice and gets the required result.”

Dundee United manager Jackie McNamara is also chasing a victory and he insists his players must think only of their own task today and not about events at Rugby Park.

“It’s one of those ones where results elsewhere could dictate things, but we can’t afford to think like that,” said McNamara. “We only ever focus on our own thing and that won’t change with this game.

“We know things could still change and we have a chance of getting into the top six. That’s all that matters as far as we’re concerned. We will never give up. As long as there’s a possibility we will keep going and that’s how it has to be.”

McNamara is hoping for the United fans to turn out in numbers and play their part in the contest. He added: “We want to give the fans a good end to the season. We need their backing which the players appreciate.

“They can certainly make a difference and haven’t been able to celebrate enough home wins this season.

“We want that to change in the home games between now and the end of the season, and there’s no better time than against Aberdeen this weekend.

“These are always tough games. Aberdeen are well drilled under Craig Brown and we know it will be a very hard 90 minutes.”