Gordon Brown, who died on March 19th aged 53, had a memorable rugby career - capped 30 times for Scotland at lock forward and toured three times with the British and Irish Lions - and a soccer pedigree.
Known in some circles as "Broon frae Troon", he was the son of Jock Brown, a professional goalkeeper for Hibs, Kilmarnock and Scotland.
He started his sporting life as a goalkeeper, playing soccer on Saturday afternoons after playing rugby for his school, Marr College, in the mornings. Eventually he graduated to his brother, Peter's, rugby club, West of Scotland.
At 17 stone and 6ft 5ins, he quickly made a name for himself as a ball-catcher in the middle of the lineout and was first capped by Scotland against the Springboks in 1969. His last cap was against Ireland in 1976. He went on to win 30 caps for Scotland between 1969 and 1976. As befits anyone hailing from Troon, he was also an accomplished golfer.
Gordon Brown was at the heart of the 1971 Lions triumph over the All Blacks in New Zealand and when the 1974 Lions defeated the Springboks in South Africa.
Other members of the touring party included Willie John McBride, Gareth Edwards, Barry John, Mike Gibson and J.P.R. Williams.
Gordon Brown was renowned as a scrummager, he excelled in the middle of the lineout, and in open play he scored eight tries on the Lions tour of South Africa in 1974.
In his day forwards were certainly not expected to score that many tries. That he did so was a tribute to his intelligence in anticipation and to his overall fitness. The fitness could be traced not only to the coaching of Carwyn James in 1971 and Syd Millar in 1974, but also to the training sessions he undertook with the Rangers soccer club at Ibrox.
He had worked as a building society branch manager, but in recent years was much in demand as an after-dinner speaker. Three years ago, resplendent in kilt and sporran, he made an uproarious speech at the Rugby Union Writers' annual dinner before 460 people at the Cafe Royal in London.
Last month, he attended a dinner in London organised for his benefit. More than 1,000 of his friends and admirers dined with him that night, among them McBride, Andy Irvine, Fergus Slattery and one of his oldest adversaries, the great Colin Meads from New Zealand.
He is survived by his wife Linda and by a son and daughter.
Gordon Brown: born 1947; died, March 2001