MARK WILSON headed back to Lennoxtown for Sky Sports to interview the current Celtic right back Anthony Ralston.

The defender’s Celtic career looked dead and buried and had it not been for the state the club was in this summer, it was very likely Anthony would have been released.

When Ange came into the fold, Ralston was our ONLY option at right back – the club triggered his one-year extension and the manager had no choice but to play him.

Since then, the defender has gone about proving everyone wrong.

Anthony doing more than enough to earn a new deal with Celtic and Ange Postecoglou has been a brilliant mentor to the player who looked lost under Neil Lennon.

This time last year we brought in Jonjoe Kenny to play right back in front of Anthony. I think even Ralston will admit it was probably best not to be associated with last year’s side and there weren’t any guarantees his form would’ve picked up under Neil Lennon’s guidance.

Speaking about the last six months – Ralston was honest to admit he thought his Celtic career was done.

“It was natural for me to think it (my Celtic career) was coming to an end,” he told Sky Sports.

“I’ve been here since the age of eight and coming through all the years at the academy, it comes with a lot of ups and downs.

“I spent a lot of time on the training pitch and put my work in there. When you’re not playing it’s not easy at times but you need to keep yourself right.”

Speaking about his new role as an inverted full back, the Celtic academy star claims his success is down to how clear and concise the manager has been at putting his point across.

The position would have been alien to Ralston at the start of the season but he’s thriving under Ange.

He said: “At the beginning it was new and I had to learn it (the new role). Every day in training it was something we worked on.

“When I found myself in midfield at the beginning it was strange, I’ve never had to check around about me as everything is usually in front of me.

“I’m enjoying it, I think it goes back to the clear messages the gaffer gave and the instructions of how he wanted it done. It instilled that confidence and belief that you can go and do it.”

Sometimes timing can be everything in football, it’s one thing getting a second chance, it’s another thing to take that chance and run with it.

The player has put in the hard work and got his rewards – you love to see it.

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