Scott Brown may no longer be the same all-action central midfielder who dominated Scottish football for the best part of a decade, the driving force behind nine successive Premiership titles.
But while his legs have lost a yard or two of pace, his footballing brain continues to tick over as reliably as ever, a beat rarely missed.
Lining up against his future employers at Pittodrie on Wednesday night, Brown offered a timely insight into what he will bring to the Aberdeen dressing room next term.
The long-serving Celtic skipper was a typically vocal presence in the centre of the park, cajoling and encouraging his under-performing teammates as super-sub Leigh Griffiths struck late on to cancel out Lewis Ferguson’s opener.
According to the Daily Record, it was Odsonne Edouard who received most of the in-game ear-bending from his 35-year-old captain.
Brown was spotted telling the Frenchman to improve his movement, instructing Edouard which runs he needed to make as Celtic looked to get their most talented player into the match.
Edouard may be the club’s top scorer, their much-admired £20 million talisman, but he still has plenty to learn. For young, improving players like him, Brown’s experience and influence can be invaluable.
Celtic will not only lose a top-quality midfielder when the former Scotland international moves north to Aberdeen, they will also lose their influential leader, their on-pitch coach.
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