Anthony Ralston, born on 16 November 1998 (age 27), is a Scotland right-back whose career has been shaped almost entirely by Celtic. He joined the club from Queen’s Park in January 2016 and, after the usual rough edges and early loan experience, settled into the long grind of proving himself at a club where patience is rarely over-supplied.
Ralston has never been a decorative footballer, which is not meant as an insult. His value has been in reliability, application and being ready often enough to matter. Across 12 seasons at Celtic he has made 111 league appearances and scored seven league goals, with his strongest attacking return coming in 2021–2022, when he scored four times in 28 league matches.
His Celtic medal haul is considerable: nine Premiership titles, five League Cups and three Scottish Cups. He has also been on the other side of one Premiership and one Scottish Cup near-miss. That tells its own story about his longevity at the club, even if his role has varied from starter to squad option and back again.
In 2025–2026, Ralston remains a regular first-team presence, wearing squad number 51. He has made 24 league appearances, along with two Scottish Cup appearances, scoring once, and five Europa League outings. He has also been involved with Scotland this season, making three appearances in European World Cup qualifying.
His current market value is around £1.5m, according to Transfermarkt. That is a modest external marker for a player whose importance to Celtic has always been less about price and more about staying useful over time.
Ralston’s career is not complicated: Queen’s Park, Celtic, development, persistence, and a place that has lasted longer than many expected. He remains part of the current Celtic squad, with a long service record, a serious medal collection and enough football still in him to keep the argument going.
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