Mikey Johnston, the stalwart Celtic player, joined the Premiership Scottish club as a trainee in July 2008. His relationship with the club can only be described as a lengthy one, filled with highs and lows.
Johnston first caught my eye during his debut season in 2016-2017 where he made a single appearance in first-team league matches. However, it was a humble beginning to what was about to unfold. In the following seasons, he showed his true colours. His first-team appearances increased in the seasons that followed. Throughout the 2018-2019 season, he performed admirably, making 14 appearances and scoring five spectacular goals. He continued his momentum in the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and 2021-2022 seasons, where he made 11, 10, and 12 appearances respectively with a total of two goals scored in the 2019-2020 season. However, the 2023-2024 season was particularly challenging for Johnston, with only nine first-team appearances. Despite this, he managed to score two goals that season.
In a surprising move in September 2022, Johnston was loaned out to Vitoria SC in Portugal's Liga Portugal. Regardless of the change in surroundings, he made a significant impact in his first season with 25 first-team appearances and a single goal. However, the Scottish wind seemed to have been calling him home as he returned to Celtic in June 2023.
Johnston continued to press on upon his return, making appearances in league matches with the occasional goal scoring here and there. In a familiar pattern, Johnston was loaned out again in February 2024, this time to West Bromwich Albion in the English Championship where he made 18 appearances and hit the back of the net seven times in the 2023-2024 season.
Upon completion of this loan stint, he returned to Celtic once again only to be permanently transferred to West Bromwich Albion in August 2024 for a reasonable fee of around £3m. Despite this transfer, his contributions to Celtic are indelible. His exploits on the field have left memories that will remain in the hearts of the Celtic faithful for years to come.
