Celtic skipper Scott Brown backs Ronny Deila amid calls for his head

Skipper Scott Brown has urged Celtic fans to keep the faith with under-fire manager Ronny Deila, insisting the champions can go unbeaten for the remainder of the season.

Following an ignominious exit from the Europa League, where they finished bottom of their group without a victory in six matches, Deila came under more pressure after the 2-1 home defeat by Motherwell last Saturday.

Despite leading Aberdeen at the top of the Scottish Premiership by one point, and with a game in hand, ex-Celtic striker Andy Walker claimed the Hoops' style of play was "dull and uninspiring", while former midfielder and ex-assistant manager Alan Thompson said the team have become "pedestrian".

A section of fans have launched an online petition urging the club to sack the Norwegian, a move which has divided the support with many believing Deila should be given a third crack at Europe next season.

Brown, who is sidelined with a long-term knee injury, was speaking from Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where he presented a £5,000 donation to Simpson's Centre for Reproductive Health.

The charity is one of the beneficiaries of Brown's new book, 'Scott Brown: My Celtic Story', along with Cancer Research, which will also be receiving a £5,000 donation. 

Both recipients will continue to benefit from the book as a proportion of proceeds from each copy sold on an ongoing basis will be given to these beneficiaries. 

Speaking to Sky Sports News HQ the Scotland captain said: "I think it's harsh when you are top of the league and your manager is top of the league. We had one poor result there, and another one a couple of weeks ago against Kilmarnock, but if we go on a run of five or six games it will all be forgotten about. 

"The manager has done a good job. Last season we were really unlucky not to go on and get the treble. Just a little bit of luck here and there would have been nice, or a couple of good refereeing decisions. But this season we have had a slow start and we need to kick on now. 

"Everyone expects us to run away with the league but it is never that easy, whether Rangers are in the league or not. It is always hard when teams play against us at Celtic Park, they just defend and try to catch you on the counter." 

And Brown has asked those Celtic fans calling for Deila's head to keep the faith with the manager who has delivered the league title to Parkhead in each of his two seasons in charge.

The former Hibernian midfielder added: "Stick by us through thick and thin and we will do you proud. We have not properly shown our true colours this season for a run of games but I believe we are going to do that soon.

Live SPFL Football

"Things are not coming off for us and we are not creating as many chances as we should be. We have a lot of possession and sometimes that doesn't mean a lot, sometimes you need to knuckle down and get the three points.

"That team in the dressing room is definitely good enough to go the rest of the season without getting beat. We have that belief and it is the manager who has instilled that in us."