When the curtain drew to a close on Scott Brown’s Celtic career back in 2021, it closed a chapter on a major part of Celtic Football Club’s history and the Scottish midfielder’s life. After signing for the Hoops in the summer of 2007 under Gordon Strachan, Brown went on to enjoy one of the most decorated playing careers in Hoops folklore.
He has cemented a legacy that few can come close to and was part of a team that went the season unbeaten back in 2016/17 and won a Quadruple Treble along the way. It was quite a remarkable achievement from a rather remarkable character in Celtic’s illustrious, unbroken 135-year-old history. He really set the modern standard for a Celtic player and captain and ensured newcomers to the team understood that message to the letter.
Brown signed off in poor circumstances though, as we had become a team and club that had become stale and bereft of ideas and identity in the end up. Our fabled bid for ten Scottish Premiership’s in a row came to an abrupt halt as we disintegrated before the eyes of the world in a wholly undewhelemimg season for everyone involved at Celtic Park.
In truth, Scott never really got a chance at a proper goodbye with the Celtic supporters and wants the opportunity to set that right. Well that’s just what he’ll get with the news that he and fellow Invincible Celtic star, Mikael Lustig, will be sharing an evening with the Hoops supporters together soon at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow. That will take place on 18 May this year and he cannot wait for the chance to bid farewell and thank the fanbase for their unwavering support throughout his 14-years at the helm.
Speaking to the official Celtic website, the now Fleetwood Town boss said: This is a great opportunity to go and speak to the fans and say goodbye,” he told the official Celtic website, “and thank them all for their support over the years since I came in as a young 21-year-old when I could run about wild for 95 minutes, to when I finished at 36 in front of no fans in a stadium, which was disappointing because it was hard – it was not the season that anybody ever wanted, the fans or the players.
“I hope it’s going to be a good night. We’ll see how my chat is that night! I’m just delighted to go back with Lusto (Mikael Lustig) as well, because I’ve not seen him since he left. We’ve kept in touch with text messages and phone calls, but we’ve not actually had the chance to meet up. I’m just delighted to see the Celtic fans, because, as I said, I never had that chance personally to say thanks very much for everything they did for me.
“I know they had my back throughout hard times and good times as well, but there were a lot more good times than bad times – and just to see Lusto as well, I’ll be delighted to see the big man and see if his English has got any better!”
The club legend also acknowledged the great cause that the night in question will support, with the proceeds going to the Celtic FC Foundation. He said of the charitable wing of the club: “The Foundation’s always been brilliant with myself as well. Whenever we were setting up charity events, they were trying to help as much as they possibly could. The proceeds from this event will be put to great use, whether it’s around about Glasgow or further afield. The Foundation look after as many people as they possibly can, and that’s what we want. We want Glasgow to become a brighter place and becoming a better place is through the Celtic community.”
The League One manager revealed that he has been keeping a close eye on events back in Glasgow’s East End since Ange Postecoglou arrived and couldn’t speak highly enough of the current management set-up. “I was watching and I still wanted the club to do well and win trophies,” he said, “and as soon as it all started to click into place, it was a delight to watch. You’ve got inverted full-backs, you’ve got pace up top, you’ve got unbelievable work-rate and that doesn’t come overnight. That comes a lot from hard work on the training pitch, belief in your assistant managers and coaching staff, but also your captain as well.”
On his successor to the captain’s role at the club, he said: “Cal’s been unbelievable and, for me, I couldn’t have hand the armband down to anybody better. He’s an exceptional footballer, he’s got the drive to go forward and he loves the club to bits, and it’s what you want as a captain. You need somebody that’s got that trust of the fans but also he’s got the fans’ back as well and he knows what they want and he produces it week-in, week-out.”
Paul Gillespie
