Hoops captain Scott Brown has insisted that the contribution of James Forrest at Celtic this season deserves to be recognised.

Citing Forrest as his Player of the Year, Brown applauded the 16 goals from the winger and insisted that he has been integral to the success of the Parkhead club as they sit one game away from a back-to-back treble.

Speaking after being crowed the Player of the Year, the Players’ Player of the year and having collected a special recognition aware at the club’s annual awards dinner, Brown nevertheless put forth his argument for Forrest’s.

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“It was great for me to pick up the trophies but James Forrest has been my player of the year,” said Brown. “He has been outstanding. He has shown the qualities he has got, scoring 16 goals. He has never got into double figures before in his career. That shows you the level he has gone up to this season.”

Brown did however take some satisfaction from having proved his dissenters wrong with the manner of his performances under Rodgers.

The midfielder is expected to follow up his haul from the club’s dinner with similar awards from the PFA dinner and the Scottish Football Writers’ dinner. Having been tipped to be overloaded following Ronny Deila’s last season at the club, Brown has drawn considerable comfort from silencing his critics.

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“Everyone doubted me a couple of seasons back but I’ve bounced back and shown them what I can do yet again,” he said. “I never doubt myself. That’s one good thing that I’ve got. I believe in my own ability. I turn up, I work hard and that’s what I’ve done for the last 15, 16 years of my career.

“It’s just about being consistent, making sure you are available week in week out and showing everyone what you can do. It’s a good mentality to have. I’m a strong-willed person. I believe in my own ability. When it comes to me and somebody else, I believe I’m better than them. That’s great to have.

“When I was coming through at Hibs, we used to go away to the Milk Cup and play against teams like Man City. We used to see all the top players they had at the time. They were so much bigger and stronger than everyone else. As soon as I started growing, everything started to catch up. I took my chance and luckily enough I went to the right team in Hibs. You need that little bit of luck as well.”

Brown gives out as much as takes on the pitch, however he has maintained that this season there has been instances where had he been as late with his own challenges that he would have spent a considerable time in the stands.

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“I’m in their faces,” he said. “I’m probably just as cheeky as anybody else, but I don’t lunge in late. If I did half the tackles that people did on me, I would be getting banned for eight or nine games. I just keep going in. That’s what makes me stronger. That’s what makes me keep driving forward.

“But the manager’s been brilliant. He kind of changed my position as well. I am just kind of sitting in front of the back four and dictating play now. It’s great to be honest. It’s all about learning different formations and different shapes and how to get on the ball in different areas. We have a great team spirit as well and that’s what gets us through everything.”