Craig Levein’s love affair with football spans five decades with Cowdenbeath, Hearts, Leicester City, Raith Rovers, Dundee United and Scotland.
But as he prepares for his third season as Brechin City’s club advisor, Levein hasn’t lost any of his passion for the beautiful game.
Levein has worked for his close friend and Brechin chairman Kevin Mackie for free since the summer of 2021.
A regular at training and a near-permanent fixture at games, Levein has missed just ONE Brechin match in that time.
He’s turned down media work to travel across the Highlands and back City.
And after working as an expert pundit for BBC at Scotland’s midweek Euro 2024 win over Georgia, Levein has the Highland League on his mind again.
“I still get a huge amount of pleasure from football,” Levein told Courier Sport. “I love it.
“It’s the little things that make you smile. I love the camaraderie and the banter in and around the training ground.
“I also take a great deal of pleasure from seeing players I’ve worked with getting on in their careers.
“At the Scotland game the other night I was watching Aaron Hickey. I gave him his debut at Hearts and now look at what he’s doing.
“John Souttar was another player I worked with and it’s brilliant to see them do so well for Scotland.
“At the same time, I absolutely love working for Brechin.
“Kevin Mackie is a very close friend of mine and it’s a pleasure to help in any way I can. I also try to support Andy Kirk.
“There’s a lot I get out of it too. I like meeting different people in the Highland League boardrooms and have met a lot of good people at Brechin.
“I enjoy seeing Andy progress as a coach.
“Winning the Highland League last year gave me a buzz and I’ve only missed one game since I went to Brechin.
Craig Levein says there’s a ‘feelgood factor’ in football thanks to Scotland
“I’m not the manager and I’m not the chairman so it’s not as intense as it has been in the past but I still give everything I’ve got for Brechin.
“I’m quite happy travelling over the country to watch them.”
Levein managed at the top with United and Hearts in the Scottish Premiership, in England with Leicester and as Scotland boss from 2009-2012.
He spoke with Dundee United regarding their managerial vacancy prior to Jim Goodwin’s appointment in March.
But he now combines his role at Brechin with as a pundit at Scottish Premiership and international games and his Sacked in the Morning podcast on BBC.
And he thinks the feelgood factor from rising fortunes of the national side can filter down to all to all levels.
Levein will be at Glebe Park on Saturday as Brechin kick-off their pre-season plans with a game against Arbroath.
⚽ 𝗡𝗘𝗫𝗧 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛
🗓️ Sat 24th June
🆚 @ArbroathFC
⚽️ Pre-season friendly
🏟️ Glebe Park
🕝 2:30pm
🍺 City Club and Platinum Lounge open from 1pm
🎟️ £10 adults, £7 concessions. Season tickets not valid. Tickets available to purchase via Fanbase ➡️ https://t.co/A3VKHumItN pic.twitter.com/ZswT1jzgCO— Brechin City FC (@BrechinCityFC) June 21, 2023
And he added: “When the national team is doing well everyone is happy.
“Everyone I speak to about football right now is buzzing about Scotland.
“We’ve got a special group of players and a manager who is setting them up to win.
“That feelgood factor is spreading across the game. It makes us all realise why we do this.
“I’m already looking forward to my next game when Arbroath travel to Brechin.
“It will be good to see Dick and Ian Campbell again but Dick has ducked out of a penalty shoot-out re-match.
“I don’t think he realises that the fact I scored two and he only scored one means I won!”
