St Johnstone are one of Scottish football’s familiar fixtures, founded in 1884 and long established in Perth at McDiarmid Park. They rarely require introduction to Celtic supporters, but they do reward a little attention: organised, stubborn when they get the game they want, and capable of making domestic fixtures awkward rather than ornamental.
The current squad is a relatively young one, with 28 players at an average age of 24. Its market value is around £4m, according to Transfermarkt, which places them firmly in the pragmatic end of the Premiership economy.
Early in the 2026-27 Premiership season, St Johnstone sit sixth with three points after two rounds. Their league start has already shown the contrast: a 4-3 home win over Kilmarnock followed by a 1-0 defeat at St Mirren. The home numbers are lively, with an average of four scored and three conceded, while the away return so far is a clean, less flattering zero scored and one conceded.
Kai Fotheringham and Jamie Gullan have made the sharpest scoring starts with two goals each, with Cheick Diabate, Josh Fowler and Reece McAlear also on the scoresheet. St Johnstone have also been involved in League Cup Group F, adding another early-season gauge of a squad still settling into its rhythm.
For Celtic, St Johnstone remain a known domestic opponent: modest in budget, competitive by habit, and currently positioned in the middle of the Premiership’s early table.
📈 Key stats and insights
⚔️ How they compare to Celtic
Celtic hold the clear edge in the early table and in attacking balance, especially away from home, where their output is setting the league standard. St Johnstone can point to a stronger home scoring burst, but Celtic's defensive numbers are far cleaner, and the overall comparison favours Celtic in control, reliability and away threat.
