JOHN KENNEDY says that his players gave Scott Brown the send-off he deserved as the Celtic captain bowed out of his final home game for the club on a high with a 4-0 thumping of St Johnstone.

Interim manager Kennedy said that the Celtic players were desperate to give Brown a fitting finale to his trophy-laden career at the club, and they did just that as they ran out easy winners against the Covid-hit Saints.

“Scott’s last game was big for us in terms of finding motivation, coming towards the end of a season when there’s not a lot to play for,” Kennedy said.

“It was quite easy tonight. Scott came out as captain for the last time at Celtic Park , so it was important that the team put in a performance that sent him off in the right manner.

“We knew he would come off after 60 minutes to make changes at that point, that was part of the plan. But the saddest thing was that if this was Scott Brown’s game the stadium would have been packed to the rafters and they would have been singing his name the whole game. That’s a shame but that’s the world we live in.

“But in terms of the club and the staff and the players on the side, and obviously there are fans outside to send him off.”

Kennedy said that it has finally sunk in with Brown that his 14 years as a Celtic player are coming to an end.

“I’ve noticed in the last day or so that he has probably taken more in now,” he said.

“He has been involved in so much and probably taken it all for granted.

“He has now decided to move on and certainly in the last few days he has spent more time around the offices of the building speaking to more people.

“It’s probably now that he has days left rather than weeks or months that it is hitting home that he should cherish what he has left. Certainly for us we will cherish what we have left for the final few days “In terms of what he has done as a player and a captain for this club it is absolutely terrific and we have to be grateful for that and hopefully send him off in the right way.”

Kennedy embraced Brown as he walked off the pitch on the hour mark, and gave him one last rebuke for some slack play.

“I think he was trying to give St Johnstone a goal before he went off, a couple of passes went astray,” he joked.

“But Scott is a great character. He is definitely one who the longer he has been at the club, we have seen him mature into a real proper leader.

“He came in very young, energetic and vibrant and over the years I have seen him develop into a great captain and a great person.

“Players in our academy should use him as a role model, because that’s what he is.

“In terms of how he conducts himself on a daily basis he always puts the team in front of himself and does his absolute maximum every time he is out on the pitch.

“Everyone has to use him as an example going forward as to what you should be as a Celtic player.

“He is such a humble guy for his achievements in the game and goes out his way to help people.

“They are the type of people you need at your club and he will be sorely missed.

“But life goes on and we have to adapt.”