Celtic star Scott Brown thanked manager Gordon Strachan for helping him deal with the death of his little sister and a difficult first campaign in Glasgow.

It has been less than 12 months since the 23-year-old midfielder's sister Fiona lost her battle with skin cancer.

"The first season, I didn't have the best season," said Brown, who is the PFA Scotland Player of the Year.

"But the manager knew what was going on and he helped me through that - and he's been great with me since then."

Brown saw off competition from team-mate Gary Caldwell and Rangers pair Pedro Mendes and Steven Davis to land the award, voted for by his fellow players.

And the Scotland international was delighted to win the approval of his peers at Sunday's awards dinner in Glasgow, saying: "It means a great deal.

"I was at the PFA awards and we were seeing the last 25 years of who's won.

"There's some great names there: you've got (Henrik) Larsson, you've got (Brian) Laudrup, you've got (Paul Gascoigne) Gazza.

"It's great to be among those people as well."

Asked where he felt he could improve his game, Brown replied: "A few more goals here and there.

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"I think I've been playing well. You can always play better and you always want to play better, so I always strive to do better."

Brown then denied suggestions his disciplinary record might also need addressing, despite currently serving a two-match ban that will see him miss Saturday's Old Firm derby.

"I've not picked up so many stupid yellow cards," said Brown, who has only been booked six times in the Scottish Premier League this season but is paying the price for his chequered record last term.

"Everyone's going to get booked, especially in the position I play, and I think six bookings for a two-match ban is quite harsh myself."

Brown moved to Celtic Park from Hibernian in a £4.4m transfer almost two years ago and Strachan hopes to see him remain a Celtic star for a long time to come.

"It's up himself, really," said Strachan. "Through his career, he's worked with good people at Hibs; hopefully, he's worked with good people at Celtic.

"Where he goes, I don't know - it's up to him. But he can play at a really high level - that's for sure."

The midfielder has attracted interest from the English top flight, but Strachan aims to fend that off.

"It's not inevitable. I think there are players who stay at clubs for a long time," added Strachan. "It depends how much they enjoy it."

Strachan also refused to contemplate life after Celtic following the announcement he had won the manager of the year prize for the second time in its three seasons.

"I like working - that's the best place," he said. "Trust me, when we get through the gates of Lennoxtown, that's when I'm at my best.

"It's always nice to be appreciated because sometimes it's a lonely job and you think the whole world is against you.

"I've got smashing players that I work with day-in, day-out and a fantastic backroom staff.

"They inspire me and I try and transmit that back to them."

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