Max Johnston's rise from Cove Rangers to Champions League
2025-01-21
Category: sports

In late December 2022, Max Johnston played the final game of a six-month loan at Cove Rangers.Within two years later, the rampaging right-back was lining up in the Champions League with Sturm Graz.In the 21 months in between, the 21-year-old has won an Austrian league and cup double and also played in the Europa League and Conference League after bursting on to the Scottish Premiership scene with Motherwell.Needless to say, life has moved fast for the youngster. "Football changes very quickly," he tells BBC Scotland. "I do think it's amazing that I was at Cove two years ago and then coming back to Motherwell, which was a great time in my career as well."I'm obviously delighted with how everything's turned out. Hopefully, I can keep going the right way. You just need to keep a level head."
Yellow Wall & Champions League 'goosebumps'
Johnston's appearance tally in the Champions League stands at five, three of which have been starts in this season's tournament.That number will rise if the right-back features at Atalanta on Tuesday, a match the Austrian champions must win to keep their faint hopes of progression alive.From the iconic branding to the camera panning past his face during the anthem, Uefa's elite club competition seems like a different world for Johnston.The experience of playing at Borussia Dortmund is an instant go-to as he reflects on a whirlwind two years, but he does not forget his roots at those dizzy new heights."I love to look back," Johnston says. "Just thinking about what it was like before and the differences now, it's amazing and something to be proud of."Whenever the Champions League comes up in conversation, you get goosebumps. Dortmund away, I started, and it was amazing playing in front of the Yellow Wall."Moments like that you just need to make sure you take it in and appreciate it as much as possible - they're moments and experiences that will stick with you forever."
Inspired by Ferguson, Hickey & Doig
Before Cove came a season-long loan at Queen of the South, where Johnston was managed by his dad Allan, who won 18 caps for Scotland as a player."I was so lucky to be able to get my first loan in the Scottish Championship," the right-back recalls. "Obviously, my dad was the manager and that was a huge help."OK, but what is it really like to be managed by your old man?"When we didn't get the best of results, he just wouldn't speak a word sometimes," Johnston jokes."I would get in the car and think, 'this is going to be brutal'. But it's something I would never change. It's a moment I will treasure forever, playing under my dad."Light-heartedness aside, Johnston's spell at Palmerston opened his eyes to senior football and paved the way to first-team experience at Premiership level.A report by the Scottish FA published in August said clubs in Scotland are failing to bring through enough young players.Johnston's former side Motherwell, where he is an academy graduate, are one of the few top-flight clubs who are pulling their weight.The 20 games the right-back played for the Fir Park side in the second half of the 2022-23 campaign opened the door to an eye-catching move to Sturm Graz when his Motherwell contract expired at the end of the season.Johnston's decision to move to Austria in the hope of progressing his career was inspired by the likes of Lewis Ferguson, Aaron Hickey and Josh Doig, who have all benefitted from moves to Italy.And their fellow Scot is enjoying similar success in Graz."I've seen the success of Lewis, Josh and Aaron," he adds. "Players like that who have taken the step abroad and it's worked out for them. "So, that was a key part of my decision to go and try something different and just be brave and go for it. Why not? It was a no-brainer."
'I want to make a difference for Scotland'
After spending time in Sturm Graz's reserve side, Johnston's progression to the first team caught the eye of Scotland head coach Steve Clarke and a call-up to the national team followed in October 2023.The Under-21 defender is yet to win a senior cap but is driven to achieve "every boy's dream" by eventually representing his country at senior level.With Clarke still short of options at right-back, perhaps that opportunity will come when Scotland face Greece in a two-legged Nations League relegation play-off in March.Given there is no other Scottish right-back who can say they have played five times in the Champions League this season, Johnston has to back his chances of making an instant impact at international level."You need to be confident in your own abilities," he says. "So if I was to get in the squad, then you need to be confident and you need to train well. "You want to make a difference in the team. You want to help out. That would be up to me, but there are a lot of talented Scottish players in the right-back position. "So, it could be difficult but I'm just going to keep working hard and focus on Sturm Graz and we'll see where it takes me."Watch Champions League highlights of all matchday seven games on BBC One & iPlayer on Wednesday from 22:40 GMT