Scott Brown explains why he turned down chance to hand Celtic Premiership trophy

Scott Brown came up against Celtic captain Callum McGregor as an Aberdeen player this season.

Brown left Celtic in the summer of 2021 after 14 years when he had become the club’s second-most decorated players with 22 honours. He did not have a proper opportunity to say his farewells to the Celtic support with the pandemic then requiring games to be played behind closed-doors.

Thereafter, one of the monumental figures in the Scottish game across the modern age returned as an Aberdeen player. However, Celtic offered him the opportunity this weekend, effectively, to pass on the baton to his successor in the armband-wearing role Callum McGregor at Celtic, as the club celebrate their first title in 11 years for which Brown has not been a central figure in. The now boss Brown did not want to upstage McGregor in the first such occasion for a former team-mate and confidante who cites him with a vital mentoring role.

"I am delighted for him, to be fair,” said the 36-year-old. "Celtic asked me to pass the trophy to him, but I don't think it was quite right for me to go back to Celtic just yet. That would make it all about me and not about Callum, and it has to be about Callum tomorrow and what he has done for the club and how hard he has worked. It was a no-brainer when I was leaving the club to make Callum captain as I knew he was a fantastic player and his work rate was exceptional and he runs the dressing room.

"That's what you want for a captain as you want someone that is responsible and will work hard and who also leads by example on the park and he has done that this season. He has been exceptional.”