Charlie Mulgrew wants Celtic to build on this season's league success

Charlie Mulgrew has been named as PFA Scotland Player of the YearSNS Group

Charlie Mulgrew has said that the league trophy is a satisfying reward at the end of a season but still holds regrets after cup disappointments.

Celtic sealed the title with games to spare but hopes of more were laid to rest with a League Cup final defeat to Kilmarnock and a Scottish Cup exit to Hearts.

Mulgrew said he was disappointed but believed the team would be stronger next season.

"Obviously winning the cups would have been nice after getting to a semi-final and final," he said. "But we would have taken winning the league at the start of the season.

"We'll just need to look at the positives and look to improve next year again.

The defender expected new faces at Celtic Park in the summer as manager Neil Lennon looks to improve his squad. However, he stressed that new recruits would need to have the mental strength to deal with the pressure of expectation.

"It's a big club and players coming here, they realise that quickly,” he explained.

"The fans demand a high performance week in week out and they'll quickly need to learn how to win. "It takes a while to settle in anywhere but I'm sure that whoever the manager brings in will be ready to play and be up for it."

Mulgrew was speaking after being named as the PFA Player of the Year. He said that the award from the players’ union was the most valued individual prize.

"It's a great feeling to be voted for by your fellow professionals and to win these awards is brilliant but the most important thing is we won the league,” he said.

"It's a team game and as a team we won that and we're delighted."

"To get any award is an honour but to get that one, it really tops it off.

"Every season I look to improve, as a team and individually, so next year, hopefully, I can do better again."

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