PAT Bonner sees a little bit of Roy Keane in the way Scott Brown has re-invented himself over a 11-year career at Celtic.

The former Parkhead stopper was a mainstay in the Republic of Ireland squad when Keane arrived as a young firebrand attacking midfielder from Nottingham Forest, only to add more positional discipline in the latter stages of his illustrious career for Manchester United and his country.

Brown has been granted a testimonial match at Celtic Park on May 20 in recognition for his service for the club and Bonner, another member of select band to be granted the honour, feels it will be a great occasion.

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“Listen, to be at a club for 11 years and get a testimonial is a fantastic honour for him,” said Bonner. “I was lucky to get one and he’s among a band of us now and it’ll be a lovely occasion for him and his family.

“Scott is a different player now,” the Irishman added. “He reminds me of Roy Keane in many ways.

“Roy had to adapt his game and I remember him coming to the Irish set-up when he was at Forest and then went to Manchester United. Then he was a runner, a tackler and would score goals and he was a snarler. Then he almost reinvented himself, he played deeper and passed the ball, he took on that personality that he was the leader of the team.

“Scott is very much in that way. Remember when he first came to Celtic? He would be up around the box. But now he appreciates the game in a different way and Brendan has been really good for him. They have obviously sat down and spoken about his role.”

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If the credit for Brown’s reinvention belongs to the player himself, it has also co-incided with the arrival of Brendan Rodgers. Prior to the Northern Irishman’s arrival in the summer of 2016, Brown had appeared injury-ravaged, a force on the wane. Now few would bet against the midfielder, already with eight Scottish top flight titles to his name, including the last seven, helping guide the Parkhead side to ten in a row. It is also a pretty fair guess that one of the first item on Steven Gerrard’s to-do list is finding a way to limit his influence in Old Firm matches.

“A couple of years ago he was getting to a stage where people thought maybe his career would filter out a little bit and he would move on,” said Bonner. “I hope he appreciates when we say that it’s not a criticism. Maybe his fitness wasn’t what it was and he lost that edge.

“But I’m sure he’d love to be part of ten-in-a-row history and he’s made a lot of history so far," Bonner added. "I think he’s also love to do something in Europe. That was always our issue, I was 17-years at the club and we didn’t do anything in Europe and that’s sticks in there, as you’re put on the same benchmark as the Lisbon Lions and the ones who did it in the 70s. Martin O’Neill’s group of players got to a final. But we didn’t do it and when your career passes by you, you think about that.”

For one reason or another, Brown has never tested himself at Barclays Premier League level, but Bonner doesn’t feel that should be used against him.

“They used to throw that at Danny McGrain, they used to throw it at myself too,” said the goalkeeper. “But you don’t have to go to England to achieve. A lot of players down in the bottom half of the English Premier League have earned huge money but don’t compete at the top end. So I wouldn’t throw that at him.”