Brown - A defining season

Brown: Played through pain

Celtic midfielder Scott Brown is ready for the 'biggest season' of his career after putting his fitness concerns behind him.

Brown has revealed how an ankle injury severely hampered him during the end of last term as the Hoops lost out to bitter rivals Rangers in the SPL title race.

The Scotland international has since undergone surgery on the problem and is hopeful of returning to his best form for the new term.

He told the Daily Record: "This is probably the biggest season of my career coming up.

"It always hurts when you don't win the title, especially when it goes to your bitter rivals.

"If anyone is going to win the SPL if it's not us, you don't want it to be Rangers.

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"You can't win it every year but we were gutted we didn't get the job done last season."

Of his fitness woe, he said: "I was struggling badly and not able to move around as I would have liked.

"I couldn't play my natural game. There was no way I could run forward or make tackles like I normally would."

Brown also reiterated that he is confident of being at new manager Tony Mowbray's disposal for the second leg of Celtic's UEFA Champions League clash against Dinamo Moscow.

He said: "I am giving myself every opportunity to be fit for the second game.

"I don't want to rush because I don't want the problem to return but I am sure I'll be ready for the return leg."