27 Facts About Brian McClair

Brian John McClair was born on 8 December 1963 and is a Scottish football coach and former professional footballer.

Brian McClair was nicknamed "Choccy", as his last name rhymed with the delicacy "chocolate eclair".

Brian McClair played in 30 international games for Scotland between 1986 and 1993, and was selected for their squad at UEFA Euro 1992.

Brian McClair began his career with Aston Villa on leaving school in 1980, but left after one season having never played a competitive game.

Brian McClair then returned to Scotland in the summer of 1981 and signed for Motherwell.

Brian McClair was effectively signed as a replacement for the recently departed Charlie Nicholas.

Brian McClair scored 41 goals in total to finish top scorer in the league with 35 goals, and won both the Scottish Football Writers' Association Player of the Year and the Scottish Players' Player of the Year awards.

In four seasons at Celtic, Brian McClair made 204 appearances in all competitions and scored 126 goals.

Brian McClair won the Scottish Cup in 1985 and the Scottish Premier Division in 1986.

Brian McClair managed further braces in the final two games of the season.

Only Liverpool's John Aldridge netted more First Division goals that season and, in all competitions, Brian McClair scored a total of 31 goals.

Brian McClair was now facing competition from highly promising young striker Mark Robins, who had scored 10 goals in 23 first team games that season.

Brian McClair did however score the winning goal for Manchester United in the 1991 UEFA Super Cup against Red Star Belgrade, which followed his role in their European Cup Winners' Cup triumph over Barcelona.

Brian McClair had now won the fight to keep his place in the first team as he rediscovered his goalscoring touch and Robins was now struggling to get into the team.

In October 1990, Brian McClair was involved in controversy when in reaction to a late challenge he repeatedly kicked Arsenal's Nigel Winterburn in the back as he lay prone on the ground, sparking a 21-man brawl.

Brian McClair was rarely left out of the squad, often coming on as a substitute to play in midfield or attack.

Later that year, Brian McClair had a hand in another memorable goal, assisting Eric Cantona in his famous chipped goal on 21 December 1996 against Sunderland at Old Trafford.

In later years, as his first team opportunities were reduced, Brian McClair became something of a cult hero at Manchester United due to his Choccy's Diary being published in the official Manchester United magazine.

Brian McClair accepted an offer to return to Motherwell, where he spent six months before announcing his retirement.

The match was a qualifier for Euro 88, and Brian McClair played in midfield behind his Celtic teammate and striker partner, Mo Johnston.

Scotland failed to qualify for this tournament, but Brian McClair became a regular in the Scotland squad for the next six years.

Brian McClair made five appearances for Scotland in the qualifiers for the 1990 World Cup.

Brian McClair played for Scotland in a 'B' international against East Germany in April 1990 shortly before the 1990 World Cup.

Brian McClair returned to Old Trafford as a youth team coach soon afterwards.

Ironically, when Kidd first joined Blackburn after being assistant manager at Manchester United, Brian McClair was one of several high-profile names to be linked with the assistant manager's vacancy at Old Trafford, as was former teammate Steve Bruce, who was then managing Sheffield United.

Brian McClair left Manchester United after being appointed by the Scottish Football Association in February 2015 as their national performance director, effective from 1 June 2015.

Brian McClair succeeded Mark Wotte, who resigned from the position in October 2014.