Dundee fans shocked by John Brown’s appointment as interim manager

Dundee have made a surprise move by appointing former player John Brown as their interim manager until the end of the season.

Brown replaces Barry Smith, who was sacked on Wednesday with the club 15 points adrift at the bottom of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

The club announced the news with a statement on their official website.

It read: "Having been inundated by high calibre candidates over the last few days, one man stood out as perfect for the position of interim manager of Dundee FC.

"John Brown is a man with real heritage and history at Dundee FC and when at Dens Park in his time as a player, he was an real inspiration, a fans favourite and scored some vital goals and he has never lost his feelings for the club."

Picking Brown will be a shock to many, given his lack of recent managerial experience.

The former Rangers defender's only managerial job, at Clyde, ended in November 2009 after less than two years in the post.

But he had two coaching spells with Rangers and left his role as a scout when Charles Green took control at Ibrox in June.

Brown then launched a vociferous attempt to lead a fans' buyout of Green's consortium.

Dundee will hope Brown, who spent four years at Dens Park as a player, can prove to be the "inspirational leader" he was when helping Rangers to six league titles.

However, there are signs that sections of the club’s support, already upset by the treatment of a loyal servant in Smith, are now angered by the board’s choice of replacement.

There were even rumours that Brown might refuse to take up the post in the wake of the fans’ reaction, but the BBC say he has vowed to be in the stands for Sunday’s game at Celtic.

For a full match report from Parkhead and the latest from the Dens Park boardroom, see Monday’s Courier or try our new digital edition.

Paul Fletcher

7 months ago

To bring in a nondescript manager such as John Brown is bizarre to say the least, especially when there were other more impressive candidates out there. These other candidates surely must have had more managerial credibility. It is pretty clear that if Dundee fail to beat United in the cup, then the CEO will have no choice but to resign as this decision appears to be solely his. Everybody gets judged on results (ask Barry Smith), so if this backfires then we know who needs to go next.

Hector

A large gamble was landed when Brown got the job, now it turns out Brown got the job handed to him without an interview. Something dodgy there. Anyway I can't see anyone keeping them up, only the cup game to play for really.

Ian Duncan

Good luck John! Things can only get better. Many of us recall your leadership on the park, and look forward to you getting the team playing good football again.

Hill of Maule

Mr Gardiner needs to come clean to the Dundee Fans that pay his wages, who gave him the authority to invite Brown? When was this discussed with the Fans? Are there any clubs or affiliations that him and Brown are both Members of that awkward questions could be asked about?

Both Dundee clubs going for novice managers who have achieved nothing, amazing. Such a shame to see the city's oldest and most famous club in such a state. That guy Gardiner must be out of Dens asap.

Bomber

United appointed a young, novice manager in the early 70's, changed football in Dundee forever. There is only 1 world famous Club in Dundee, guess what it isnt yours and fine you know it. Going back to that novice appointment in the 70's.........................

gerald

Ged Message to present CEO and Board....... I would think it is too late to save your own dignity. But please allow DFC's long loyal fans to retain a little dignity and self respect. We are becoming a laughing stock within Dundee and beyond. Please do the honorable thing.The time to leave is now. Changes are required very quickly from top to bottom. Whether our loyal servant Barrie Smith should get his job back is open to debate. But it appears to me, he is a genuine, decent guy, who was trying to learn a new role in difficult circumstances. The longer this situation is allowed to go on the bigger the the damage to DFC.

Nakasaki

Scot Gardiner and the Board of Directors have made us the laughing stock of Scottish football. If John Brown was the alternative option, why on earth did they sack Barry Smith? The CEO talks about integrity but has absolutely none himself. Get these clowns out!

Max	7 months ago

It turns out John Brown was even an applicant. He was personally invited to take the job by Scot Gardiner. That means the club press release was a lie, that is, "Having been inundated by high calibre candidates over the last few days, one man stood out as perfect for the position of interim manager of Dundee FC." I am lost for words. Dundee, my team for many a tear, have become a laughing stock in the Scottish media. We can deal with being relegated, but being lied to by our own club takes it down to the level of the gutter. John Brown has been appointed on a false premise, backed fully by a board who have willfully misled the fans. Utterly shameful.

havingalaugh

As Tayside's third club the supporters of Dundee F C really should be more appreciative of all the efforts being made by the board.Perhaps if W Dodds or S McColl were brought in to assist "Bomber" the fans would be more understanding.The future's bright.......

F.McClymont

How about Bob Servant - time to phone him on the computer?

deegreg

The board at the CEO should leave now!! I didn't have a problem sacking Barry, actually wanted him sacked back in Jan. But the timing of it is so wrong! Why didn't we just keep Barry until the summer, were as good as down, Brown won't make any difference. Don't understand the interim appointment one little bit. CEO lies to the fans, and its time up for him and the board. GET THEM OUT!

Sid	7 months ago

I think it's a fantastic appointment , well done scot and the board ,keep up the good work Yours in sport Sid

Allan Simpson

Hiya Scot, hiya pal.

Fraser Keil

Minter club. True to form. Tweet Tweet....

FDW	7 months ago

Could've chosen someone a little more popular with the fans.A joint managerial post of Farningham,Stevie Campbell and perhaps even Lee Wilkie would've been better accepted I think and between them they have far more experience of our team than John Brown ever will have! And a vast youth team coaching lifestyle!THE FUTURE of football!!

boldano

Spoofer, you've gone too far this time. The damage done by lie upon lie has reached critical mass and the balance is now tipping back towards the Dundee supporters - the true fans who can see through your duplicity. Fan power will win the day, starting with Wednesday night at home to Saints. Your ears will be ringing with the ridicule which will no doubt be heaped upon you. SHAME ON YOU!

andyb

Surely this was always a bonus season for Dundee,with that in mind it was bad enough that barry was punted.To replace him with John Brown is beyond belief.The man has no cv to speak of and is a laughing stock after last summers events. Dundee fans over the years have put through more than most but this is surley one of the most poor decisions by dfc. Who in their right mind would appoint this man Why us again There is something else behind this decision because it is not logical. .No group of people could rationally ponder who to appoint as manager of their football club and come up with john brown We need to rally round and get this lot out of dens through fan pressure.

How much more suffering to we the Dee fans have to take? As if the last 9 years hasn't been enough this week is the icing on the cake for me. A club legend has been disgracefully sacked and hired a man who was last seen on the steps of Ibrox whilst conducting himself in a manner not befitting of any man that should be at the helm of the Dee. John Brown is Scott Gardiners 'brother' and fellow Rangers Fc supporter. How anybody could hire Mr Brown on merit is beyond me as his record is atrocious. His last interview with the Clyde Fc was an embarrassment to himself. How can the players look up to a man who has behaved in such an inappropriate manner? This man has is not a supporter of the Dee but a paid employee of the club. I vehemently disagree if us Dees don't back Brown then we are not supporters! I love the Dee and bleed blue,we the fans own this club and I won't let this shambolic BoD and Mr Gardiner cause us any further pain or humiliation. We need change at DFC as the fans run BoD is not working,keep it fans owned by all means. Gardiner ,Brown and the BoD do the honourable thing and leave the club.

Gary Gallacher

nobody at dens wants brown there so just go now and take your m8 with you

jimmy

Board out. Gardiner out. Brown out. The people running the club are liars and not acting in a professional manner. The way Barry Smith was treated was awful given he is a true dundee legend, loved the club, and always acted with dignity and respect. Although it is not John Brown's fault that he was given the job if he cares about Dundee then he will resign immediately as it is clear from his management CV (beside any way he behaved regarding Rangers) that he does not have the ability to do this job. When he is at it he can take Scott Gardiner and the board with him. None of the fans want them there so just leave please for the good of DFC. Then the club can start again and move forward from this.

Ian Harper

I thought it was a wind up ! The man has no managerial CV to speak of. The man has only passion for Rangers. Where did Gardiner come up with the dross that he has passion for Dundee Football Club? The whole thing was a done deal before Smith was sacked , jobs for the boys. Gardiner also said "Brown was the obvious choice for the job " You could have asked 1 couple of thousand Dundee supporters I bet Browns name wouldn't have come up once. I was listening to BBC radio Scotland Sports yesterday and none of the pundits could understand why Brown had been appointed. Chick Young couldn't understand why Dundee supporters were angry, that's because hes another clueless rangers brown noser. Gardiner resign and take that clown Brown with you back to Mordor !!!

Disillusioned Dee

I have nothing against John Brown but I cannot believe that he was the "outstanding" applicant out of the inundation of applications. If the CEO believes that the Dundee fans will swallow the official club statement drivel, he has seriously underestimated the feeling among the support. We will not accept the conduct of the Board or the CEO over the last few weeks and if they are not already doing so, they really need to consider their positions. This is not going away!

twillardo

This appointment really sums up how out of touch the CEO & BoD are with the fans, you only had to be at a shambles of a Q&A on Saturday to see the total disarray, the stupid and inept replies to questions from people who are supposed to be running the club were unreal. After what can only be described as a farce of a meeting, I really can not trust the current regime to make a level headed decision that is in the best interest's of the club. For Gardiner to come out with his statement about backing Brown just goes to shows he is light years out of touch with the fans and needs to resign forthwith for the better of the club. CEO & BoD should leave ASAP

CORTEZ

Feel sorry for Joh Brown here, but he has to be told there is a massive mix up and it was actually PHIL Brown that was the Broony that dundee were after, not John. What an absolute farce, jeezo, Barry Smith's cv as manager was far superior to John Brown's at present. Surely the whole point in appointing a new manager is to appoint someone with a better cv and a whole lot more experience to carry the club forward???

Maureen Ferguson

So true CORTEZ..

Ersinovski

I'd actually take Mrs Brown at this moment in time...............

Dundee

The Board should resign immediately. They have shown that they do not represent the fans of Dundee Football Club and this is supposedly a Fans owned club. I can see us heading for oblivion if they are allowed to hold onto power at Dens Park.

max	7 months ago

Quote, Scot Gardiner, "But for those not backing John Brown as interim manager, by doing so, they are not backing Dundee FC." I am a Dundee fan of many years standing and I am not alone in thinking that appointing John Brown is turning failure into farce. I also think it is insulting that the CEO can suggest that I and other long suffering fans are not true Dundee supporters because we genuinely feel Brown is the wrong man. I expect a full apology from the club for Gardiner' s ill advised comments. At the moment it is very difficult to put into words how I feel about how badly my club is being run at the moment. Anger is running deep.

Dundee FC

Dundee fans shocked by John Brown’s appointment as interim manager

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