Raldinho- Celtic team mate quick to praise Scotland hero

Mikey Johnston was among the first to congratulate Tony Ralston as he opened the scoring in Scotland’s Nations League tie against Armenia. 

With 28 minutes played the Celtic defender drifted in at the back to head home a cross from Stuart Armstrong to lift some of the gloom that has been hanging around the Scotland squad since last week’s World Cup exit. 

Johnston came through the ranks at Celtic with the duo making their first team debuts on the same day against St Johnstone in May 2017, putting their mark on the Invincibles. 

You’d have got long odds on Ralston having a future at Celtic 12 months ago following a season in which he made one top team appearance, unable to get Jonjoe Kenny out of the side as a disastrous campaign came to a halt. 

Given a chance out of necessity by new manager Ange Postecoglou, he grabbed it with both hands, impressing against Midtjylland even though Celtic crashed out of the Champions League. 

Ralston scored Celtic’s first domestic goal of the season, at Tynecastle on July 31, more than 10 months later he is still going strong after a season full of highlights and a well earned SPFL Premiership winner’s medal.