AS Celtic captain, the collective will always come before the individual for Callum McGregor. But as he reflected on being named the PFA Scotland Player of the Year this week, he admitted that the accolade is a nice reminder that he must be doing something right as his team’s leader.

That much, you would have to say based on the evidence of where Celtic are in the league table, is surely self-evident.

There were those who doubted McGregor’s credentials to take the armband from Scott Brown at the start of the season, but he has shown that his own skillset and leadership abilities are perfectly suited to the role.

And he says that the award from his fellow professionals - as well as those for manager Ange Postecoglou and young player of the year Liel Abada - was a nice addendum to what looks certain to be a hugely successful season for the Celtic team as a whole this season.

"It's a really proud moment for me,” McGregor said. "To be voted Player of the Year by your peers is a great feat.

"There are so many impressive names who have won this award in the past. To join that list is something I'm very proud of.

“It's lovely to win this award. There's no hiding from that. It's a fine feeling especially when it's your fellow professionals who are voting.

"For me as captain, the team awards like the League Cup obviously mean more. But to have personal awards on top of that shows you've had a good season.

"We've had a great season and we can now go and finish it off in the next couple of weeks.

"To have many new players come in and to build a new team with so many involved at the end of season awards is fantastic for the club.

"It shows that everyone is moving in the right direction. And there's still a lot to come from this group. That's an exciting thing as well.

"To be one of the more experienced ones and have the captain's armband brings more responsibility. But it's something I relish to have that additional responsibility and have that impact on the team and the lads.

"The boys have been first class with me as well in terms of taking the right direction and listening to what I've got to say.

"It brings the best out in me.”

For McGregor, the determination to win honours this season was even more intense given the disappointment of last season, with the failed tilt at 10 in-a-row providing fuel for him to prove Celtic’s doubters wrong.

"Off the back of a disappointing season, all I could think about was coming back and setting the record straight,” he said. "I wanted to prove to people it was a one-off season.

"That wasn't even in quiet moments - that was every day. Even on holiday, you can't wait to get back and try to put things right.

“With so many new guys coming in, it freshened the place up. It gave us a fresh impetus and made the boys hungry for success. You can see that in the performances. Whether we win, lose or draw, the hunger is always there.

"We are working for each other and that's how you build good teams and successful teams.

"Hopefully we can continue to do that.”

Celtic are racing certainties to win the league title after the draw with Rangers on Sunday maintained their six-point lead at the top of the table with just three fixtures remaining, but McGregor is making sure his teammates also maintain their focus.

"Just continue to go,” he said. "We needed a win and a point [to win the league]. We got the point on Sunday and now we keep moving on.

"It was a big game on Sunday which could have gone either way. The group knew it was an important day and we've come through it reasonably well.

"Now we look forward to the next couple of weeks."