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Brotherstone began his professional rugby career with Edinburgh as one of the players signed up buy the Scottish Rugby Union when the game turned professional. He then moved to French side Brive before returning to Britain to join Northampton Saints. He moved to Kingston Park to play for the Falcons in February 2002.
Brotherstone is not included in the Scottish World Cup squad and so will be available from pre-season.
Said Gloucester Rugby Club Director of Rugby, Nigel Melville; 'He hasn't got any world Cup commitments so he will be involved with us in pre-season. He is a quality player, we know all about that. He had some injuries last season so didn't play as much as he would have wanted, but this is a very good opportunity for him'.
'We are excited about what he will do at Gloucester'.
After making his debut in the 1999 Six Nations against Ireland, Brotherstone has since won eight caps for his country, the last of which was last summer on Scotland's tour to North America and Canada.
He includes as a international career highlight the defeat of the much fancied England side at Murrayfield in the 2000 Six Nations.
A knee injury kept him out of the Autumn International series, but Brotherstone insists that after the World Cup he hasn't ruled out the possibility of adding to his caps.
After playing for Brive, Northampton and Newcastle, he says he knows all about fanatical fans and admits that the Kingsholm support was one of the major reasons for moving to Gloucester.
Talking exclusively to Gloucester's official web site www.gloucesterrugbyclub.com, Brotherstone said 'Gloucester is a rugby town, Newcastle is a football town and rugby comes second. One of the main reasons why I wanted to come to Kingsholm was because of the support base. I have been to Kingsholm a few times with Newcastle and Northampton and the crowd probably gave the home team a 10-point head start. I think it would be nice to be on their side for once'.
By finishing top of the Zurich Premiership last season, Gloucester guaranteed themselves a spot in next season's Heineken Cup, and have been drawn on a Pool with Munster, Bourgoin and Italian Champions Bennetton Treviso.
Brotherstone was part of the Northampton Saints Heineken Cup squad in the year after they were crowned European Champions and says he is looking forward to testing himself against the best in Europe once more.
'I am also looking forward to the challenge of European Rugby with Gloucester. I experienced it with Northampton for a season and playing against the best teams in France, Wales Scotland and Ireland is very exciting'.
Brotherstone also admits that Gloucester's forward strength, particularly in the front row, with both Trevor Woodman and Phil Vickery included in England's starting line up against Australia this weekend, is another reason for his optimism about next year.
'There are some Gloucester players doing the business at international level this summer, particularly in the front row. It is an exciting prospect playing with them after the World Cup'.
