PILLARS OF PARADISE

Scott Brown on approaching 600 appearances, admiring his colleagues and what it means to be Celtic

- JOE DONNELLY

Game to game. That’s the Celtic captain’s everlasting mantra – from kick-off ahead of his debut against Kilmarnock on August 5, 2007, through to the final whistle of Saturday’s 3-2 victory over Livingston at Paradise, Scott Brown refuses to look further than the next match in turn.

As a journalist, getting the player to look forward can in turn be challenging, but, as a fan, it’s a formula that’s proved pretty successful for the man and the club over the course of his 14-season stretch at Celtic. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

At 35, getting Brown to look backwards, on the other hand, is easier. He’s immensely proud of his 13-year career in Glasgow’s green and white so far, for 10 of which he’s donned the skipper’s armband, and, despite his age, he has no intention of hanging up his boots just yet.

The midfielder’s mind is instead fastened firmly on Thursday evening’s UEFA Europa League qualifier against Latvian Higher League frontrunners Riga FC on the road, and, assuming the captain features at some stage in the single-leg affair, he’ll record his 594th appearance in a Celtic jersey.

“I didn’t know I was that close to 600, to be perfectly honest, but it’s great to see that number coming up,” said Brown in an exclusive interview with the Celtic View. “You know what it’s like, though, I’ll maybe think about that next milestone when it’s the next game to come.

“I’m at that age now where I’m enjoying football, I play with a smile on my face, I come in every morning to Lennoxtown and I enjoy the experience, the training, the world-class coaching. For me, there’s no better place to be.