Celtic six-time loanee can still be Parkhead success as manager identifies key characteristic

Without a senior appearance since December 2021, it's easy to comprehend why many believe the writing could be on the wall for a player who has always remained on the periphery of the first-team squad for a number of years.

Rated highly by previous Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou, the 23-year-old hasn't had the rub of the green in a Hoops jersey and is now braced for an uncertain future.

For the time being, Livingston manager David Martindale was willing to throw the left-sided defender a chance to prove he can cut it in the top-flight and still be a success story in Glasgow's east end.

Having spent the second half of last season with Queen's Park in the Championship, Montgomery joined Livi last month and has started all three games since his arrival in West Lothian - answering Martindale's SOS call amid injuries to Cristian Montano and Cammy Kerr.

While recognising the scale of the challenge he faces to force his way into Brendan Rodgers' plans, Martindale admits Montgomery hasn't let his lack of game time hinder his aim of salvaging his Celtic career after expressing an immediate hunger to be pitched in at the deep end.

"That's testament to Adam's mindset," Martindale declared as he spoke of Montgomery's desire to remain on the pitch during Saturday's 3-1 Premiership win over Falkirk, despite sustaining a muscle injury during the first-half.

‘Difficult for him at Celtic’

"He's been away with Celtic and missed a lot of pre-season with us, so it's about managing his load. He wanted to stay on the park and wanted me to give him another 15 minutes. but we'd already used two stoppages and I said to him that I couldn't take that risk 60 minutes into a game. So I had to make that decision at half-time to take him off, otherwise he would've been on the pitch for longer.

"Listen, it's really difficult for him (at Celtic). Of course, they do things impeccably well but he was maybe player number 30, 32, I don't know. It's really hard to get game intensity into players that are around the perimeter of the squad.

"Adam hadn't played much football. Unfortunately for him, he joined us just as Celtic were entering that period where their game intensity would've increased preparing for the Champions League, at the same time we were preparing for the Premier Sports Cup and had already been through a four, five game stretch.

"Guys like Scott Pittman and Ryan McGowan probably had about eight games under their belt before Adam came in. He's not had that luxury. So I think it's really important that if you're going to go out and play football then you do it at your earliest opportunity. I think that's shown with Adam.

"The quicker we get Adam in a better place, the better. I've got to take that on board as well because I threw him straight in. I asked Adam if he felt ready to play and he said 'I want to play, gaffer'. I've thrown him in at a time where we've probably been struggling in that area of the pitch. But he's worked hard for that chance."