Anthony Ralston, born on 16 November 1998 (age 27), is a Scotland right-back whose senior career has been shaped almost entirely by Celtic. He joined the club from Queen’s Park in January 2016 and, aside from useful early loan spells, has spent his working life fighting for a place at a club where patience is not usually in generous supply.
Ralston has never been the sort of full-back sold on mystery or excess polish. His best league season came in 2021–22, when he scored four times in 28 appearances, a campaign that moved him from squad option to reliable contributor. Across 11 seasons with Celtic, he has made 111 league appearances and scored seven league goals.
His time at Celtic has also been a heavily decorated one. Ralston has won eight Premiership titles, five League Cups and three Scottish Cups with the club, while also being part of sides that finished runners-up in the Premiership and Scottish Cup. Those honours have come in different roles and at different stages of his development, which rather sums up his usefulness.
He remains part of the current Celtic squad, wearing number 51, and in 2025–26 he has still been a regular first-team presence. He has made 24 league appearances, along with cup and European minutes, taking him to 35 Celtic appearances in all competitions this season, with one goal in the Scottish Cup. He has also played for Scotland in World Cup qualifying this season.
His market value is around £1.5m, according to Transfermarkt. Ralston’s career is not complicated: he came to Celtic young, had to learn the hard way, and has remained relevant in a side where merely hanging around is rarely enough.
📈 Key stats and insights
