The departure of Mikey Johnston to West Brom this summer wasn’t really a surprise to the supporters.
For all his skill and trickery, the Irish winger just couldn’t seem to get a run in the Celtic team. Now, of course, injury played a part in that and that fact cannot be ignored.
But what also cannot be discounted is that whenever Johnston got his chance, he could never really produce to the high standards that Celtic demands.
Johnston proved on two occasions that he is a very good footballer with loan spells at Vitoria Guimaraes and West Brom over the last few years.
Now at The Baggies permanently, Johnston has opened up on how he gave the Championship club ‘every chance’ to sign him this summer.
Johnston ‘knew’ he was leaving Celtic
The speculation was rife all summer that Johnston was set for a Celtic Park exit and it was reported that a move to Sheffield United was close at one point.
However, West Brom got in there at the last minute and it seems that Johnston may have helped that process along somewhat.
Johnston told BBC Radio WM, “I thought it was an outside chance – you know the stuff with FFP and whatever.
“I knew I was probably going to be leaving Celtic. The options that I did have I thought it was going to the last day anyway.
“It was quite late genuinely but I tried to give West Brom every chance so it was possible to come back.”
Johnston’s post-Celtic career
Many Celtic fans will Johnston well for the future. Indeed, many appreciate that he is a very skilful footballer and that it just wasn’t meant to be at Parkhead.
So far the tricky winger has still to make his debut for West Brom after his transfer was completed on the day of their final game before this international break.
Left out of Ireland’s squad for this international break, Johnston will be hoping to hit the ground running this weekend against Portsmouth to kick start both his domestic and Republic of Ireland career.
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