It’s a one in a 100 strike.. fans usually chant ‘Sebo’ when I shoot
Celtic skipper reveals fans compare him with wayward former Ranger when he lines up effort
SCOTT BROWN was surprised to hear Celtic fans urging him to let fly when the ball came his way more than 30 yards from goal.
It’s a different kind of shout he’s used to when he takes a pop from long range.
Brown took the advice from the Parkhead punters and planted a screamer in to the top corner in the Scottish Cup slaughtering of St Johnstone to bag his first goal since his strike in the 6-0 cup win against Inverness Caley Thistle two years ago today.
And he admitted it’s the sound of a famously wayward former Rangers striker that tends to come from the Celtic Park stands.
Brown said: “I don’t think they actually want me to shoot most of the time. I usually get the shout of ‘Sebo’ two seconds after I shoot!
“It’s one of those I’ll probably hit one time out of a hundred that sweet and it goes in the top corner. The main thing though was getting into the next round. It was a good, proper performance.”
Brown might not get many but he felt this one was on the way. He’s been encouraged to take more potshots of late and has been getting closer.
The St Johnstone stunner was a goal-of-the-season contender but the Hoops skipper reckons it’s not quite his favourite.
His curling cracker at Ibrox in the 2-2 cup draw in 2011 – and the first sight of the famous Broony celebration – will always be tops.
Brown said: “It’s up there with the best I have scored but probably the one I got against Rangers is the best one for me. They don’t come around that often. I struck it sweet and I’ve managed to hit the target.
“I’ve had a couple of shots in the last couple of weeks as I’m managing to get a bit further forward. It’s different when you play with two in the middle of the park. It was good to get forward and get the goal.”
Celtic sizzled as Scott Sinclair slammed a hat-trick and James Forrest made it nine goals in 12 days against the Perth side and 20 without reply since coming back from the winter break in Dubai.
Brown is looking to take the dazzling domestic form in to Thursday’s Europa League clash with Valencia and reckons the Spaniards will have their work cut out keeping up with Oli Burke.
He was devastating against Saints and the skipper is convinced the West Brom loanee will have the visitors scared.
Brown said: “In terms of pace and power Oli’s by far the quickest I’ve played with up there.
“His ball to Scotty Sinclair, it’s great to actually see someone create something from nothing. He touches it past the guy and then he knows nine times out of 10 he will beat a defender for pace.
“Scotty is in the right place at the right time as well. People won’t keep a high line because of that pace.
“Our three forwards with Scotty and James Forrest, as well as Timo Weah coming on, we’ve got pace everywhere and that scares people more than anything.
“If people want to press the game then you’ve got that long pass in behind for them to take up and the way they are all playing just now – they are in great form – you’d fancy them to score goals.”
Brown is hoping the red-hot frontline will give Valencia food for thought on Thursday.
Celtic have been sweeping aside rivals in Scotland but he knows the Europa League will be a huge step up in class.
He said: “Our aim is to win games and keep clean sheets and everyone does it, whether that’s the strikers defending from the front and putting people under pressure.
“That makes them kick it long and hopefully we can do that on Thursday as well. For us, we’ve always bounded on after the winter break. You have so many games in such a short period of time so you don’t have much time to recover.
“We just chill and get the legs ready to go again. We know Thursday is going to be hard. They are going to come here and they are going to want to play as well. We’re looking forward to it. Since we came back from Dubai and the winter break we’ve kicked on.
“We have looked sharper and fitter so I think Dubai has really helped everyone.”
Brown relished the big nights under the lights at Parkhead and is hoping for another memorable one.
He said: “Our fans are fantastic and that’s what we want, the big European nights.
“We want to be in the Champions League next season and we need to try to show on Thursday night we’re good enough to play in these competitions and stay in there.”