SCOTT BROWN will plead to boss Neil Lennon to play him when Celtic host Cliftonville in the second leg of their Champions League qualifier on Tuesday.

With the Hoops leading 3-0 from last night's game at Solitude – goals coming from Mikael Lustig, Georgios Samaras and James Forrest – the Parkhead boss plans to use the return match to get game time into some of the players who missed out last night.

But Brown managed to make just one 60-minute appearance in the pre-season matches after recovering from a groin problem picked up in May's Scottish Cup final, and is desperate to play at every opportunity.

He cruised through 90 minutes in Belfast and feels ready to go again.

And, with the third qualifying round kicking off in under a fortnight, the skipper knows he needs to get up to speed as quickly as possible.

Brown is even looking towards Saturday's friendly at Brentford and said: "I think I am one of those who will be getting more game time.

"There are a few of the lads who played three or four games over in Germany and they have got their fitness and sharpness.

"If you look at Beram, Kelvin and Stokesy, they all look to be a little bit ahead of me.

"So it is me playing catch-up once again.

"It has been hard, but at least I have now had my first full game."

And a successful one it was, too, as Brown led his side to comfortable victory.

However, he refuses to consider they are through to the next round.

He said: "It is definitely not over. It is still going to be hard in the return at Celtic Park.

"They are going to come here and give everything and try to push us onto the back foot.

"But, especially with us getting back to grass and our own fans, it is definitely going to help."

Brown believes it was all about attitude and approach last night, and the fact Celtic lost all of their pre-season games was proved to be irrelevant.

He said: "To be fair, the gaffer said to us at the end of pre-season, 'I know we didn't win any games, but my opinion is that pre-season really doesn't matter as long as you get fitness and sharpness and you do it on the big occasion.'

"That's what we have done.

"We went to Belfast and showed great professionalism to play really well."

Which they did despite having several players out, Victor Wanyama away and Gary Hooper set to follow.

Brown insisted: "We have a good squad and we are still missing a couple with the likes of Joe Ledley and Adam Matthews still out.

"We have a few others still coming back, so we will get stronger.

"The lads the manager has already brought in are good quality.

"The gaffer finds good players for cheap money, and, if you look at Victor and Gary it shows their quality over the last few seasons.

"That's why they are going to get moves.

"Victor has got his big-money transfer, and Gary is being linked here, there and everywhere, so it shows we are bringing great players to the club."