We’ll need Broonie as our leader Kristoffer: Bhoys will see it out together
and maintain his place as the head of the top-team dressing room.
Welsh said: “Broonie is massive for us, massive. He’s our leader and we would miss him a lot if he wasn’t there next season.
“We need to take every day as it comes and I don’t know what he’s going to do.
“Personally I would love him to be here as long as possible because he helps me so much.
“He helps every single player in the team as captain and when he’s on the pitch he is brilliant for us.
“We will see what happens, but Broonie is such an important player.
“His intensity in every single training session never drops for a second. Every single day, even if it’s a rest day, he is doing everything he can to prepare in the right way.
“If you look at our training sessions, his stats are still up there as the highest in terms of runs.
“Broonie is always at the top and he is one of the fittest players in the team.
“He has been brilliant for Celtic for so many years and it goes without saying that we all want him to stay.
“It’s completely up to him. He’s achieved so much for the club and it’s right that he makes the decision.
“But yeah, of course we all want him to stay.”
Brown produced an outstanding display in the 1-0 win over Aberdeen but Peter Lawwell says the final decision on his future is his own.
Welsh said: “Everybody sees what he does on the park, but off the park he is just as big. When it comes to the atmosphere in the changing room and bringing everyone together, Broonie is at the centre of it.
“He gets us going, he leads us on the park, he’s always talking to you and he is also a quality player.
“You can’t discount how good a player he still is and he has been such a big help to me over the last few years.”
KRISTOFFER AJER insists Celtic must keep showing togetherness until the end of the season.
The Norwegian had an excellent game at the weekend as his team defeated Aberdeen 1-0.
Victory still leaves Celtic 15 points behind Rangers in the title race and Ajer admits it’s been upsetting to fall so far off the pace.
Stand-in boss John Kennedy admitted interest in his backline star will be massive in the summer with a year left on his deal.
But Ajer seems focused solely on a strong ending to the current campaign and determined to keep putting himself on the line.
He said: “We are hurting with the performances this season. We haven’t been good enough, but we have to show the togetherness we know have in the group.”
Kennedy was full of praise
AYR UNITED have axed manager Mark Kerr and his No.2 Michael McArdle after the club plunged into the Championship drop zone.
The Somerset Park side lost 1-0 at home to Arbroath on Saturday to remain in second bottom spot in the Championship, four points ahead of bottom side Alloa.
That defeat was Ayr’s third in a row and with only one win in their last 10, Kerr’s 16-month reign as boss is over.
East Fife boss Darren Young is one of the contenders to replace Kerr, who stepped up from a playing role to replace Ian McCall in October 2019.
Recently installed chairman David Smith saying: “I spoke with Mark and Mick on Sunday following a board meeting and would confirm that they have left the club by mutual agreement.
“I would like to put on record our thanks for all their hard work over the last two seasons.
“I personally wish them both well in whatever they do next.”
“The search for our new manager is underway but in the interim period, David White and Derek Stillie will take charge with support from our academy coaches.
“Whilst we’ve identified potential candidates for the manager’s position, we would also request any that any interested party gets in touch with us by Monday, March 8.
“This is firmly not how I pictured my first six weeks in the role.
“I’m very grateful to Alan Murray and Willie Houston, who have over 25 years board experience between them at Ayr United.
“Collectively, we are confident we’ll get the next steps right for our club.”