Copyright scotsman
Hamilton have announced that chairman Jock Brown has resigned due to health reasons amid the toll of “one of the most turbulent periods in the club’s history”. Accies have become embroiled in off-field strife in recent seasons, slipping from the Premiership to League One and incurring a string of sanctions along the way. Only last month, the Lanarkshire club was docked six points and fined £22,000 by the Scottish Professional Football League for rule breaches relating to payments to trialists and amateur players while under a transfer embargo. Relegated from the Championship last season after incurring a 15-point deduction for various rule breaches, Accies were banned from signing senior professional players in July after failing to fulfil tax obligations. Former Celtic general manager and football commentator Brown - the brother of former Scotland manager Craig Brown - was appointed Accies chairman in October last year. “It is with deep respect and sincere gratitude that we announce the resignation of our chairman, Jock Brown, who has stepped down from his position due to health reasons,” a statement from Accies owner Seref Zengin read. “He has been guiding the club through one of the most challenging and turbulent periods in its history, demonstrating strength, patience, and unwavering commitment when these qualities were in short supply. “Jock’s dedication came at great personal cost. The demands and pressures of this challenging and turbulent period have had a profound impact on his health, and while his decision to step away saddens us deeply, we fully support it and hope he now takes the time to rest, recover, and focus on his wellbeing.” Brown’s return to Scottish football with Hamilton came 26 years after his controversial Parkhead exit. He was appointed Celtic general manager in June 1997 but left the role after less than a year-and-a-half amid criticism from fans and the media over his running of the club. He was a key figure under Fergus McCann and was directly involved in the appointment of Will Jansen, the man who led Celtic to a famous title win which prevented Rangers claiming 10-in-a-row. However, Jansen quit just two days after clinching the championship, citing difficulties in his relationship with Brown, who had become an unpopular figure among the Hoops support. The appointment of Jozef Venglos as Jansen's successor and the onfield struggles which followed only increased hostility towards Brown and he stepped down in November 1998. "I am very disappointed to have come to this decision, but it would be insensitive and inappropriate for me not to acknowledge the difficulties my continued involvement here would present for the club," Brown said in a statement at the time.
