Scott Brown believes he's become a more approachable person since growing out his hair and revealed why he rocked the 'hard man' look throughout his playing career. 

The former Celtic captain became a pantomime villain among Scottish football fans over his 600 appearances as his shaved head and fierce stare portrayed a certain persona on and off the pitch.

Brown, 38, has since hung up his boots to focus on management, firstly at Fleetwood Town and currently with Ayr United, where he has adapted his look by growing out his hair.

And in an interview with BBC Scotland ahead of Ayr's Scottish Championship clash against Airdrie on Friday night, he was asked about his recent hair growth. 

"It's 100 per cent all my hair. If you want to touch it feel free!," he laughed.

He was then probed on the reasoning behind his skinhead and explained how his family influenced his decision to change style. He replied: "Just to intimidate people. It worked quite well if I'm honest. 

"During Covid the kids asked if I did have hair and I wasn't 100 per cent sure if I actually did, or if I could grow it, or if I had a receder. So I thought 'oh, you know we will go eight-nine weeks' and it started to grow really thick. I always had thick Brillo pad hair - no style to it whatsoever. It just grows out like a tennis ball.

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"To be fair, I ended up getting my first pictures going back to Celtic when we went back just after Covid. I got the pictures with hair then shaved it for the first game. So you can imagine the media team were not happy with me.

"I made a decision when I retired to grow my hair for the kids. And I do look like a more approachable person, shall we say."