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Scott Brown believes Celtic should be crowned champions if season ends early

Scott Brown believes Celtic should be crowned champions if season ends early
© Reuters
Celtic are 13 points clear of Rangers at the summit.

Celtic captain Scott Brown claims current league standings should count if the season is forced to come to a premature end.

Scottish football authorities are discussing their next move after the Holyrood government announced plans to curtail large gatherings.

Matches could be played behind closed doors or the season temporarily suspended, but the coronavirus crisis is causing an ever-changing set of scenarios which could mean the campaign cannot be finished.

However, Brown believes there need to be winners and losers.

Speaking ahead of Celtic's bid to move 16 points clear of Rangers in the Ladbrokes Premiership at Ibrox on Sunday, the midfielder said: "If it ends, it stays at it is. We are in a good position, but we just need to focus on this game on Sunday.

"The main thing is we make sure everyone is OK, they are all safe and we try and catch this on the head as soon as we can.

"But obviously we still want to play football and win as many games as we can, whether it's in front of fans or not."

When the prospect of a season finishing without a champion was suggested, Brown said: "I don't know what's going to happen, it just seems to get worse day by day.

"We have just got to take the lead from the club and the SFA as well and we will worry about that when it comes, but as things stand as it is just now, we are in a good position. But we need to make sure we focus on this game on Sunday."

The more likely scenario is that games are played in empty grounds for a short period at least – although Ibrox is set to be full for Sunday's derby.

Brown said: "It will be sad if there's no fans there because that's what football is all about. It would be weird playing behind closed doors, but if it gets the league done and dusted and we managed to keep up with the fixtures as well, it helps everybody.

"If it goes behind closed doors then the SFA are looking out for the welfare of every single person.

"It would be strange playing anyone behind closed doors. You hear every single voice. At Celtic Park we can't hear each other."

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General view of Fir Park, home of Motherwell, from November 2011
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
Championship Group
1Celtic000080265478
2RangersRangers000072234975
3Hearts000046341262
4Kilmarnock00004334951
5St Mirren00003843-543
6Dundee00004454-1041
Relegation Group
1Hibernian00004451-739
2Motherwell00004651-537
3Aberdeen00003549-1435
4St Johnstone00002446-2231
5Ross County00003256-2430
6Livingston00002259-3718
 
First Phase
1Celtic33246380265478
2RangersRangers33243672234975
3Hearts33195946341262
4Kilmarnock33131284334951
5St Mirren33127143843-543
6Dundee331011124454-1041
7Hibernian33912124451-739
8Motherwell33813124651-537
9Aberdeen33811143549-1435
10St Johnstone33710162446-2231
11Ross County3379173256-2430
12Livingston3339212259-3718


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