Alistair Johnston on Celtic’s rude awakening against St Johnstone

In partnership with

The Celtic Star

·15 April 2025

Alistair Johnston on Celtic’s rude awakening against St Johnstone

Alistair Johnston reckons that Celtic received a much needed wake-up call at McDiarmid Park in the shock 1-0 defeat to the Premiership strugglers…

Nicolas Kuhn of Celtic fails to score under pressure from Stephen Duke-McKenna of St Johnstone. St Johnstone v Celtic, Scottish Premiership, McDiarmid Park, Perth, 06 April 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace/IMAGO Shutterstock

And that lesson will stand the Celtic team in good stead not only for the re-match on Easter Sunday, this time at Hampden in the Scottish Cup semi-final, but also for the remaining fixtures in the campaign as the Celtic players target a record breaking ninth title for the club.

Video OneFootball

A perfect footballing lesson for Celtic

Looking back on the events up in Perth a week past on Sunday, the Canadian international right-back reckons that it was a perfect footballing lesson in taking nothing for granted, regardless of the opposition.

Daniels Balodis celebrates with team mates after scoring to give St Johnstone a 1-0 lead. St Johnstone v Celtic, Scottish Premiership, l, McDiarmid Park, Perth, 06 April 2025: Photo Stuart Wallace/IMAGO Shutterstock

“It’s a reminder of why you play football”

“It’s a reminder of why you play football,” he said. “It’s not played on paper, it’s played on the football pitch for a reason, and at the end of the day, anyone can win on any given day,” Johnston said.

“So, yeah, it was a wake-up that if we don’t perform the way that we know we can and we should perform, that we can lose any football match domestically or on the continent, wherever you play. So that was definitely something that I think kind of was needed, an awakening, especially when you come into this final part of the season where there’s trophies on the line.

Adam Idah of Celtic’s shot blocked by Zach Mitchell of St Johnstone. St Johnstone v Celtic, Scottish Premiership, Football, McDiarmid Park, Perth,06 April 2025 Photo Stuart Wallace/IMAGO Shutterstock

‘Kind of light a fire under some guys’

“It was good for the whole group just to refocus and kind of light a fire under some guys as well. There’s now a chance to get to a cup final and everyone’s going to be looking at that and circling this is an opportunity.

“So we’re ready for that. It was a bit of a wake-up call for us, and I think we will be better for it.”

Celtic can clinch the Scottish Premiership at Tannadice the weekend after next, all that is needed is a draw. By that time they’ll know if the Bhoys will play at Scottish Cup Final and if so who their opponents will be. Indeed that will be known before Celtic walk out at Hampden on Sunday.

Celtic captain Callum McGregor controls the ball under pressure from Jason Holt & Daniels Balodis of St Johnstone. St Johnstone v Celtic, Scottish Premiership, , McDiarmid Park, Perth – 06 April 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace IMAGO/Shutterstock

Aberdeen got a draw at Paradise, Celtic responded at Hampden

If losing at Perth has put a fire under some of the players for the run-in then the Saints have done us a favour and they themselves could suffer. Earlier in the season Aberdeen left Celtic Park with a point after. 2-2 draw that left Celtic frustrated to say the least. Indeed Alistair Johnston almost scored a winner in the closing seconds but was denied by an incredible block on the goal-line.

Alistair Johnston and Nicolas Kuhn at Premier Sports Cup semi-final against Aberdeen. Photo AJ for The Celtic Star

The two teams met shortly afterwards at Hampden in the Premier Sports League Cup semi-final and Celtic took their frustration out on Jimmy Thelin’s side with a 6-0 hammering. Something for St Johnstone to worry about.

Here’s Alistair Johnston’s mainstream media conference from today…

Help raise funds for Celtic Youth Academy by playing the Celtic Pools Weekly Lottery and you could win up to £25,000. The lottery is £1 per week. Click on image above to join.