Charlie Mulgrew has defended his controversial decision to attend Scott Brown’s tribute event this evening.
The defender has come in for some stinging criticism from elements of the Dundee United support for agreeing to be part of ‘A night with Scott Brown and Mikael Lustig’ at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow. Mulgrew was given permission from United to attend the charity fund-raising event and to honour his friend. He also insisted he wouldn’t be going if it was going to have any impact on his football and his main focus of keeping the Tannadice club in the Premiership.
Mulgrew insisted: “I can totally understand the fans’ point of view. I did think about putting something out there (through social media) but this is probably the best way to deal with it and hopefully it helps supporters to understand where my full focus is, and where my priorities lie. It’s an event celebrating a good friend and his career at a club that I so happened to be at. There is no way that it will interfere with my preparation for the game on Saturday and my full focus is on Dundee United.
“It always has been since I came here. I’ve knocked back events and charity games. I was asked to play in the Liverpool charity game recently. I’ve knocked back multiple things because they don’t suit Dundee United — and rightly so.
“This is a Thursday night for half-an-hour, to speak about a friend of mine and his career. That’s as far as it goes. The proceeds go to charity — and I’m not getting a penny, just for the record! It isn’t for any gain of mine whatsoever. It’s for a charity and for a friend.”
The United star played alongside Lustig at Celtic and with Brown at the Hoops and for the Scotland team. He will go on stage along with a star-studded number of guests, like Callum McGregor, Gordon Strachan and Ange Postecoglou, to speak and tell stories about their former captain. Mulgrew admitted he ran it past United chiefs and has made it clear it won’t impact his preparations for Saturday’s game at Livingston.
Mulgrew stated: “I did speak to the club first and got permission from the manager a few weeks ago. I would always speak to the club and get their permission and give them respect. But, if it was interfering with preparations then I wouldn’t even speak to the club — I would know myself not to do it.
“I don’t know if people think I’m going there to stay up until all hours of the morning and jump about — I don’t know what the perception is. But I would be the same in the house. I’d be awake at that time anyway.
“So to go along and speak about my friend and help him on a night that suits me doesn’t in any way interfere with my preparations for the game. If it did, I wouldn’t be doing it.
“If this was an appearance in a nightclub at 3am on Friday night then I’m sure he would understand that I couldn’t make it! Players have a life — but we also respect the fact this is your profession; your priority. The club pays you a wage and you have a responsibility to live your life as best you can, but you do need to have a life.
“What has happened in the past, and what I have achieved in my life and career, is done. I’ve had time at Celtic but my full focus has always been on Dundee United.”
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