Stephen Welsh, born on 19th January 2000, is a Scottish defender presently donning the number 57 jersey for Celtic Football Club. Primarily serving as a central defender, Welsh boasts a frame of 1.91m (6ft 3in) and tipping the scales at 78kg (12st 3lb). His talent has not only been harnessed at the domestic level, but also on the international stage, with experience representing Scotland U21 national team.
With the current market value perched around the £700k mark, as detailed by Transfermarkt, Welsh has remained a steadfast figure for Celtic, with his existing contract running until 31st May 2027.
Initially joining the Celtic as a trainee in July 2017, Welsh's professional journey at the club began in earnest in the 2019-2020 season. Consistently upping his game each subsequent season, Welsh remained a constant figure in the Celtic line-up, making sporadic yet growing numbers of appearances.
His inaugural season witnessed just a solitary appearance, however, the following season, chewing up considerably more grass and making 16 appearances while also marking his name on the score sheet. His tenure at Celtic saw him making 10, 4 and another 10 appearances in the 2021-2022, 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 seasons respectively, also chipping in with a goal in the 2022-2023 season.
Regardless of spending a portion of his footballing years on loan at Greenock Morton back in the 2019 season, Welsh's loyalty and contributions to Celtic cannot be understated. Returning from his loan spell in January 2020, Welsh picked up from where he left off, making a reasonable number of appearances and scoring the odd goal.
That's not to say the defender hasn't had a taste of higher competition; he's featured in the prestigious Champions League 2023-2024 for Celtic with a memorable start and took to the pitch in the League Cup in the 2024-2025 season.
In a summary, Stephen Welsh may not flood the headlines or amass fan followings similar to forwards or midfield maestros, but his consistency and service for Celtic over the years reaffirms his worth within the squad.
