Brown’s message to fans and team-mates

Celtic captain Scott Brown has called for fans to get behind the team and for players to step up in order to get through a rocky patch of form.

It comes after two defeats on the bounce, the first time under Norwegian manager Ronny Deila, whom many fans don’t want in the dugout anymore.

However the 30-year-old skipper has urged fans to remember previous struggles under Gordon Strachan, and Neil Lennon, who was 45 minutes from walking away from the job.

Brown has also called for his team-mates to do it for Ronny, as the pressure mounts on the 40-year-old.

Since coming back into the team after a knee injury he suffered against Kilmarnock in November, the captain has lost in the Scottish League Cup semi-final to Ross County, and seen Celtic’s lead cut in half at the top of the table by Aberdeen.

We now need to do it for him. We’ve got to take responsibility.

We’ve got two huge games coming up in the league at home and we’ll need [the fans] support.

We’ve got to take a lot of responsibility. It’s us who are out on the park.

We’re still top of the league and that’s what people have got to remember.

We had tough times under Gordon and we came through that, we became better players and went on to win trophies.

That’s what we aim to do at the end of this season. We know what it’s about, we’ve been there and done it before and we’ll do it again this year.

This season Brown has suffered two injury setbacks, but he has still made 22 appearances, scoring one goal against Dundee and adding three assists.

With all the uncertainty amongst fans about Deila’s ability to manage at a club of Celtic’s stature, Brown had a message for fans.

Stick with us.

We’re disappointed with the last two games, but we’ll bounce back.

The manager’s been good since he came in, he’s put 100% into the job and a lot behind us as well.

He’s coping well, he’s always positive. He’s always looking at how we can improve as a team and players. He’s bouncing through it.

We speak all the time, we go through a lot of things together.

After this Sunday’s Scottish Cup tie against East Kilbride, Celtic have two fixtures at home to Ross County and Inverness, and will be looking for revenge against the former at Paradise.