Celtic defender Alistair Johnston has paid tribute to teammates such as Callum McGregor and James Forrest for living with such an intense rivalry in Glasgow for so long.
It feels like Johnston has been at the Bhoys for years but he only made his debut 14 months ago, getting stuck into Scottish football with an impressive showing against Rangers at Ibrox.
It’s that rivalry in a passionate football city that is making this Celtic experience so unique for the Canadian international.
He’s now opened up on what it’s like to be a part of that getting out and about in Glasgow and interacting with supporters on both sides of the divide.
Alistair Johnston on the Celtic experience in Glasgow
Johnston said [Scottish Mail on Sunday, 10/03 print edition page 96]: “That’s the biggest difference to my previous clubs. I could walk around whatever city I was in and no one would know who I was.
“Here, I can’t go for gas, I can’t get groceries without hearing a comment — whether it’s good or bad. Whenever you share a city with multiple clubs, that becomes interesting. Everyone knows you but you’re not sure if they love you or hate you, and that’s a fun one, too.
“When I was in Montreal, the local rival was Toronto, a five or six hour drive. You’ve got to love it here, you’ve got to live and breathe it, especially for guys who have done it year after year. It’s really impressive to me because it’s mentally draining, and a lot of people forget that. You have to have that face on when you go out the door.
“It’s difficult to get away from that in Scotland. The mental wear and tear is a grind. For guys like Callum McGregor or Joe Hart, who is recognised wherever he’s been, James Forrest as well… it’s a really impressive feat for guys who have been doing that for a decade.”
Johnston is far from a shy and retiring figure himself, so it’s interesting to hear him speak about the toll playing for Celtic takes.
The right-back hasn’t quite hit the heights of his initial six months at the Bhoys this season but remains a first-choice pick under Brendan Rodgers with 31 starts across 2023/24 already.
As he continues to adjust and become more comfortable with his role at the club, the hope will be we can see further improvement from him in the right-back position.
Celtic will likely be focused on other areas of the team in the upcoming transfer window so it’s important we see the best of the 25-year-old.
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