SINCE Dark Arts Master Craig Levein laid down the challenge the would be hard men of Scottish football have been lying in wait for a chance to play Celtic and make a name for themselves as the guy who put Scott Brown out of the game.
This all came about because Levein played a 16 year old at Celtic Park and Brown out-muscled the boy and set up a goal. It wasn’t even a free kick and the referee was correct not to award one either.
Yet Levein stated that Scottish football needs protection from Scott Brown and ever since then it has been open season on the Celtic captain and the winner of every player of the year award going – we’ve lost track actually so you can count them up yourselves.
There was that substitute at Aberdeen who got a red card. The (relegated) Ross County thug who had no intention of wining the ball – red card. Naismith somehow avoid a red for trying the same trick – he stayed on the park and got away with another foul on Brown to set up the opening gaol for Hearts. The Compliance Officer caught up with him though and although Levein said there was nothing wrong with the challenge and that they would contest any action from the Compliance Officer, he was full of sh*t.
The latest hard man to try to make a name for himself was Aberdeen’s Graeme Shinnie, whose tackle was even nastier than Naismith’s and that is saying something. He was cautioned for it though so that will be the end of the matter as far as the SFA are concerned, but Scott Brown isn’t going to forgive and forget.
After the match Shinnie, while speaking about his late tackle on Brown said that “what goes around, comes around”.
Broony now has hit back. “Oh, does it? We’ll see. It will take more than him to put me down. There have been a few attempts.
“People want to win, Graeme makes a late, late tackle. You can see why he’s on 16-17 bookings this season.”
Broony will complete a tiring season on Saturday and that is despite the attempts to put him out of the game. The decision to focus solely on his Celtic career is paying dividends judging by the awards he has collected this season.
“That’s why I decided to retire from Scotland. That was the main thing, last year I got six days holiday to come back into this season.
“It was hard and straining on the body and you need time away from football too, to chill out.
“But for me it has been a fantastic season to push on and play 60 games. Let’s see how I long I can do it for but I feel as fit as I ever have done.
“I’ve stayed injury free, luckily enough after a couple of dodgy tackles here and there.”
And the skipper will be hoping to be walking up those stairs at Hampden at ten to five on Saturday to collect the Scottish Cup and complete the double treble for the first time in Scottish football history.
Winning one treble is great but back to back trebles Brown thinks would be incredible.
“It’s got to be right up there, last season was exceptional, going through the league as Invinvibles and winning the treble. But winning the double treble would be incredible.”
NEW! THE CELTIC STAR PODCAST featuring John Paul Taylor, Celtic SLO…
