Alistair Johnston: Playing for this club is special

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Celtic F.C.

·22 November 2024

Alistair Johnston: Playing for this club is special

As the Celts prepare for a trip to Tynecastle on Saturday night, Alistair Johnston is strolling in to the weekend with an added swagger as it was announced today that the full-back’s contract at the club has been extended until 2029.

The Canadian internationalist was an instant hit when he joined in January 2023, helping the Hoops to a record-breaking eighth domestic treble straight off the bat. He followed that achievement up with a brilliant league and Scottish Cup double last season to round off a brilliant 18 months in the green and white.

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And with today’s announcement that Johnston’s long-term future is committed to the Celts, things are continuing in an upwards trajectory for the Canadian.

Speaking to the media today ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Edinburgh, Johnston spoke of his delight at putting pen to paper on a new deal with the Hoops.

“I was ecstatic when the club brought up the idea of extending my contract,” he said. “It was something I hadn’t been thinking about too much because I still had over three years left on my deal, so I focused on my football, helping the team win and performing at my best.

“It obviously shows that the club value me and they believe I’m an important part of this team.

‘In terms of reasons to sign, for me, it was simple. Playing for this club is special.’

“Walking out and playing in front of 60,000, some of the atmospheres in matches that I’ve been a part of in my two years here have been unbelievable.

“I’m entering the prime years, some would say, of a footballer’s career, so it’s exactly where I want to be to have my prime years, continue to grow and see what I can become.”

With the international break now over, the Celts are about to embark on a mammoth run of fixtures which extends in to the New Year.

Speaking about the upcoming busy schedule, Johnston said that in order to be successful throughout that period, routine and recovery will be pivotal as Brendan Rodgers’ men pursue yet more success.

He added: “It’s definitely an ultra-marathon, but we have a squad that is deep enough and built with this in mind.

“The whole plan is that when you play for this club, you’re going to be competing on all fronts whether that’s in Europe or domestically.

“Every single tournament we enter domestically, we’re expected to win and we’re expected to go far in Europe.

“It’s all about getting in to the rhythm of play, recover, play, recover. It’s nice that there isn’t an international window for a couple of months and that will really get us in to a rhythm of being here.

“This is a great opportunity to get in to the rhythm and go strong throughout this Christmas period.”