Brown eager to take place of Boruc

MARK Brown has assured Celtic manager Gordon Strachan he is ready for a Champions League test if first-choice goalkeeper Artur Boruc fails to recover from a toe problem.

Brown stepped in at short notice against Aberdeen on Saturday after Boruc had problems kicking the ball in the warm-up.

The former Motherwell and Inverness goalkeeper did not have a serious shot to save in a comfortable 3-0 victory for the league leaders. But he insists he is sharp enough to face Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday after his first appearance since the 1-1 Champions League qualifying draw at Spartak Moscow on August 15.