AS much as Scott Brown loves his football, he's never been a great fan of watching the game.

Or to be more exact, if his body ever has the audacity to let him down, thus forcing him on the sidelines and preventing him being out on the pitch which he lives for, then it's better to stay away from the Celtic captain.

He can give off the impression on being the world's angriest man when he's winning games.

Just think what he was like a little more than a year ago when his hamstring popped in pre-season meaning he would not be available for his new manager Ronny Deila who was about to find out how unforgiving the Champions League qualifiers can be.

Brown said: "It was hard. I played 30 seconds of the second game and got one touch of the ball. It was the worst pain I’ve ever had.

“A couple of days down the line I thought it might not have been too bad, but then I got the results of the scan and it showed I’d ruptured my hamstring. It was hard to take.

"No footballer wants to be injured. You want to work hard because it’s what we enjoy doing.

"For someone to say you can’t do that for eight weeks and have to sit upstairs watching or in the physio room is hard. You want to be out there getting a touch of the ball.

"I was brilliant banter! Everyone wants to play, no matter what. If you are on the bench then you want to come on and show you can change the game.

"You have to believe in yourself that way. It’s a good thing to have because I don’t think you could just accept not playing.

"You always want to push through the boundaries and go as far as you possibly can."

Even more difficult was watching his team go out to NK Maribor at home, an awful night, but also an understandable given how little time Deila had to work with the players.

A year later and things have changed. Brown is healthy, the Norwegian knows his team and Celtic have high expectations of making it into the group stages.

Although the skipper admitted; "It’s going to be hard. They say it’s the Champions League and we are champions but you have to do what we have to do.

"That’s the way it is and we have to get through three qualifiers because of the other teams in Scotland. It’s difficult but we need to do it.

“It was difficult for a new manager coming in a year ago. He won’t have known everyone and how we played.

"He needed to give everyone a chance to find out the ones he wanted to keep and the ones he wanted to bring in.

“I think he did that really well. The first three or four weeks were difficult and I am sure he wouldn’t have expected it to be as full on as it was.

“It’s two weeks and you are straight in to it. You need to be mentally strong and hopefully get through that first tie and then you have another few weeks for the other qualifiers.

“If we get to that last qualifier, that’s when you hit your peak fitness. We still should be good enough on and off the ball to get through this one."

One of Brown's finest memories from all his time as a Celt came two years go when FC Karagandy came to Glasgow in a final qualifying match with a 2-0 lead.

On what was a memorable night, Celtic scored a last-minute winner through James Forrest, leading to celebrations between players and the-then manager Neil Lennon that live long in the captain's memory.

Brown recalled: "It feels like winning the World Cup, to be honest. I remember Lenny running down the touchline that night. I felt sorry for whoever he landed on!

“It was a great occasion and he was as delighted as anyone. It was a big push but he believed we could do it.

“We started well, scored early on and the fans were right behind us. Lenny was pushing us at half-time and thankfully Stokesey cut back and Jamesie scored.

“As soon as the ball hit the back of the net we were all diving in at the corner flag. It was just brilliant. It was like winning the World Cup because it meant so much to the players, the fans and everyone at the club.

“It puts a smile on everyone’s faces right from the start of the season. You want to play against the best players in the world and that’s where this club should be.”

Brown didn't get much of a break, but even at the ripe old age of 30 - his birthday was last week - there is plenty left in the tank for a footballer who just loves what he's doing.

He said: "Monday was my first day back so it was good to get out, get a touch of the ball and work the legs again.

"It's good to be back at Lennoxtown with the lads and having a bit of craic.

"We are lucky to do what we are doing as footballers. It's a passion and a job you think growing up will just be a hobby.

"I have been lucky enough to play for Hibs and come to a great club in Celtic and do the thing I most enjoy.

"In my head I still feel as young as ever but I know that slowly it's getting towards the end. You just have to enjoy it as much as you can.

"I work as hard as I can on the training field and enjoy it. If you don't, you'd be as well just chucking it."

Brown has no intention of chucking it. Not for a long time.