CORONAVIRUS is said to have created a new normal in society following the pandemic. Scotland has only just entered Phase 1 of a staggered plan to exit lockdown meaning that it will be a long while before any supporters have the chance of watching their team in the flesh. However, Scott Brown is adamant that the new normal won’t change Celtic’s mentality ahead of their challenge for 10IAR.

As reported by the Daily Record, Brown admits that the 9IAR Champions will deal with the lack of supporters in the stadium in order to continue producing results on the park. No one has a date for supporters to return but following the news that the beginning of August could be the start of the season, Scottish football is preparing to host games behind closed doors.

“You miss the cheering and the shouting and the way people can push you, especially for us at Celtic Park when 60,000 fans inside there can be the 12th man for us at times.

“They can help you get over some tricky times and tough moments in games and when you get that goal, you continue and go on and they put that faith in you by pushing and spurring you forward.

“They have dug deep for us at times and that has led to us scoring late winners or late equalisers in matches. It’s kind of what football needs. It really needs the supporters.

“But don’t get me wrong, we’d deal with it. We have to deal with whatever situation which faces us.”

Whilst Brown is sure that the atmosphere will be non-existent at these games behind closed doors, he is adamant that the team will still have an edge, with a desire to win.

“It’s not something we haven’t experienced. For example, in training, you have 11 against 11 matches and they are still very fierce and very competitive.

“That edge is still there because you still want to win as you play.

“It’ll just be exactly the same situation as that for us and it’ll mean that games will be on telly so that fans can see us and watch us.

“The stadiums might be empty or they might be able to get some fans into them, I don’t know. I’m not sure how it is all going to work, but for me it’s still a game and you go into it with that winning mentality.”

Brown, who turns 35 later this month, has been relentless over the last few seasons with Celtic, continuing to defy his age and the doubters as Celtic collect Scottish football’s silverware. The captain that lifted Celtic’s first title back in 2012 will be hoping that he can become the first man to win the unprecedented 10th Scottish title in a row.