Anthony Ralston, a steadfast lad of Scottish heritage, celebrates his birth yearly every 16th of November, having first seen the light of day back in 1998. Primarily at ease posturing as the right back in the Celtic squad, his formidable, yet agile figure stretches up to 5ft 11in (1.82m) and bears a weight of 12st 3lb (78kg). The illustrious number 56 jersey carries his name, marking him as an entrenched figure in the Celtic landscape as well as an established part of Scotland's national team.
With a present market value resting around ยฃ1.7m, as noted by Transfermarkt, Ralston's contract with Celtic rests secure until the 31 May 2027, providing a span of just over two more years of assured service.
Ralston hopped aboard the loan-bandwagon in July 2015 transferring from the Premiership nobility of Celtic, to the Championship underdogs, Queen's Park. Starting small but bold, Anthony saw ten appearances with Queen's Park, even managing to net a goal to his name in the season of 2015-16. However, Glasgow's call was not to be ignored and, in January 2016 Ralston returned to run with the Celtic squad once more.
His Celtic journey unfolded further as he etched his presence in match after match. From the one-appearance novelty of 2015-16, he grew in his role with every game. A steady ascension in the count of appearances and goals painted a study of gradual solidity in Ralston's career at Celtic, climaxing in the 2021-22 season with a robust 28 appearances and four league goals. The next two seasons saw 16 and 15 appearances respectively, a slight dip, but still a study in consistent presence on the pitch.
In 2018, Ralston laced up his boots for another loan, heading over to Premiership contender Dundee United. His stay however proved brief, pulling the Celtic jersey back on in June that year, plunging headlong back into the Celtic fray.
Another stint on loan saw Ralston in action for St Johnstone in the Premiership during September 2019, clocking in a sturdy 22 appearances for the season 19-20. Shortly thereafter, in June 2020, Ralston returned, again to the familiar green and white hoops of Celtic, where, barring a brief downturn in appearances, he has remained an essential gear in the Celtic clockwork.
Ralston's Celtic journey has also been punctuated by significant competitions. The lad has represented Celtic in League Cup and Scottish Cup matches during 2024-25, and lit up more prominent stages such as the Euros in 2024, the Euro Qualifiers between 2022 and 2024, the Nations League in 2024-25, and even graced the grand theatre of the Champions League in 2024-25. A story of tenacity, dedication and consistent growth, Ralston and Celtic have been a recipe of success.
