How Celtic plan to break new barriers in the new year after a stellar 2024 that will be difficult to top

More trophies than defeats for Celtic across calendar year

Celtic right-back Alistair Johnston admits it will be difficult to top 2024 but he claims it is in the club’s DNA to attempt to break new barriers.

The Scottish champions ended the year with more trophies than defeats after losing just twice, to Hearts and Borussia Dortmund, clinching a clean sweep of domestic titles over the calendar year, winning 40 matches and netting 139 goals.

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When asked if it will be hard to surpass those statistics, Johnston said: “Yeah, probably. But that is what this club is all about. It’s about setting new benchmarks and surpassing them.

Celtic right-back Alistair Johnston shakes the hand of manager Brendan Rodgers after the 4-0 win over St Johnstone on Sunday. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)Celtic right-back Alistair Johnston shakes the hand of manager Brendan Rodgers after the 4-0 win over St Johnstone on Sunday. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)
Celtic right-back Alistair Johnston shakes the hand of manager Brendan Rodgers after the 4-0 win over St Johnstone on Sunday. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group) | SNS Group

“We are still alive in this new Champions League format, and that is something that gives us a lot of excitement going into the first month of 2025. Hopefully we can kick on in the last couple of group-stage matches. Again, everything is to play for domestically, with the league and Scottish Cup, which is something we are obviously striving for. It really comes down to the DNA of this football club. It’s always about the next one.

“You don’t really rest on your laurels or the trophies you have won, otherwise you wouldn’t be here – you wouldn’t be a good fit. There’s constantly been new blood added and that extra drive from the young players coming in. The ones who do stick around and have been here a long time, they live and breathe lifting trophies.

“It takes a big player to carry that weight and I feel our leadership has that. You look at guys like Cal (McGregor) and James (Forrest), to play at that level for so long and to still have that drive to want to keep doing it again and again. It’s hard for the guys who walk in the door not to feel the same way. When you have that personality and DNA running through the club and the leaders, it sets us up for that hunger and desire to constantly be there.

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“It’s like, ‘I want to be the one who has lifted X amount of trophies’. You saw it with James there, becoming tied as the most decorated player. That is unbelievable – this is Celtic we are talking about. One of the most storied clubs in the world. And one of the current players has tied that record and hopefully we can break it for him.”

Celtic's James Forrest (L) and Anthony Ralston celebrate the recent Premier Sports Cup final win over Rangers at Hampden. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)Celtic's James Forrest (L) and Anthony Ralston celebrate the recent Premier Sports Cup final win over Rangers at Hampden. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)
Celtic's James Forrest (L) and Anthony Ralston celebrate the recent Premier Sports Cup final win over Rangers at Hampden. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group) | SNS Group

Celtic can give their 2025 a kick-start when they travel to Ibrox on Thursday with the chance to move 17 points ahead of Rangers in the William Hill Premiership table.

It will be exactly two years since Johnston made his debut at the same venue and the Canada international has since become a key player for the champions and helped them win six trophies. But the importance of the derby fixture has not worn off for the 26-year-old.

“Two years ago – it’s gone by in a flash a little bit, when you look back at what has changed personally and as a team,” he said. “What an amazing two years it has been. What a great challenge is always is going there to get a result. It’s never an easy place to go.

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“We know if we go and play our football, enjoy having the ball like we do, then we can go there and get a result. That is exciting as well. It’s one of the biggest matches in world football. It’s one of the reasons you sign here, you want to be playing in these matches. It feels more than just 90 minutes chasing a ball – a lot, lot more. It’s bigger than that.

“I was lucky enough to get dropped into one two years ago and every time I get the chance to get out there and represent this club, you feel how important it is to the supporters and how lucky you are to get the chance to do that. It’s another chance to go there and hopefully get a result against our biggest rivals and we’ll see where it goes.”

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