The chance to become a manager was too good to turn down for new Strathspey Thistle boss Charlie Brown.
He has taken the reins at Seafield Park and will be assisted by Jamie McGowan, Robbie Flett and player-coach Kris Duncan.
Brown steps up to become a manager having been part of Charlie Rowley’s coaching staff at Forres Mechanics.
The 46-year-old said: “I’ve been thinking about it for a few years now about becoming a manager.
“So I got this opportunity and it’s a great club with a good set-up at the ground and I thought I’d go for it.
“I’ve spoken to a few people and they had nothing but praise for the committee and the players at Strathspey so I thought it would be a good opportunity for me.”
Jags looking to make progression
Brown believes Strathspey are a club on the up.
The Grantown-on-Spey outfit, who joined the Highland League in 2009, finished 13th in the Covid-19 curtailed 2019-20 campaign under previous manager Gordon Nicolson.
During the abridged 2020-21 campaign the Jags were unable to play any league games.
Brown added: They came up from the Juniors and they found it hard to start with.
“But they’ve got their ground sorted now and hopefully with myself coming in I can attract a few players to the club and help the club move up the league.
“I want to improve the playing staff to start with and bolster the squad with some experience.
“We’ve got a lot of young players so if I can get some experience then hopefully we can start climbing up the league.
“We know we’re not going to league challengers or in the top six. But it would be good if we could be best of the rest.
“The committee haven’t put any pressure on me really.
“Small steps going forward are better than small steps going backwards so that’s what we’re looking for just now.”
Leaving Forres wasn’t easy
Brown admits it was a difficult decision for him to decide to leave Forres.
Across two spells, either side of a two-year stint at Buckie Thistle, he has spent more than 20 years with the Can-Cans as player and coach.
During that time Brown helped the Mosset Park outfit win the Highland League in 2012, three Highland League Cups (1999, 2001 and 2002) and two North of Scotland Cups (2004 and 2010).
He said: “It was always going to be difficult to leave Forres. When I went to Buckie as a player (in 2008) it was hard.
“When I came back and Charlie Rowley asked me to coach I was delighted because I didn’t think I’d get another chance at the club.
“I went back to Forres and we won the league. My ambition in football was always to win the league, but to win it with Forres was extra special.
“Those experiences at Forres made it difficult to leave. I’ve got great respect for Charlie and the committee.
“They do a lot of hard work. Charlie does a lot of work behind the scenes and doesn’t get the recognition he should get.
“He’s a hard working manager who puts in 100% and it was difficult for me to leave.”
