Livingston set to complete loan deal for Celtic defender

Montgomery, who is contracted at Celtic until 2027, has had a nomadic few seasons, with spells at Aberdeen, St Johnstone, Motherwell, Fleetwood Town (under Scott Brown initially), and most recently Queen’s Park.

If the move to Livingston goes through, it would mark another chapter in the left-back’s stop-start career — one shaped as much by promise as it has been hindered by persistent injury setbacks.

Livingston boss Davie Martindale is understood to have fended off competition from clubs both in England and Scotland to secure Montgomery’s services.

Martindale’s side are building for life back in the top flight, and the addition of a player with Premiership and Championship experience — not to mention a background at Scotland’s biggest club — could prove valuable.

Despite never nailing down a first-team place at Celtic, Montgomery has had some memorable moments for the club. He played under Ange Postecoglou during the early stages of the Australian’s tenure, and notably set up Jota’s late winner away to Aberdeen at Pittodrie in October 2021 — a goal that ended Celtic’s long-standing away day woes and helped spark our title-winning run.

Montgomery’s positional shift from attacking wide man to left-back was the brainchild of Celtic assistant manager John Kennedy, who was a strong advocate of the player’s talent and versatility. The move added new dimensions to Montgomery’s game and contributed to his early inclusion in the first team setup.

He was also part of one of last season’s biggest Scottish Cup shocks, turning in a standout performance for Queens Park in their dramatic victory over Rangers at Ibrox — a result that delighted Celtic supporters for obvious reasons.

However, Montgomery’s development has been repeatedly disrupted by injuries, robbing him of consistency and momentum just as opportunities beckoned.

His loan to Livingston represents not only another chance to play regularly in the Premiership but a possible fresh start to finally establish himself and fulfil the potential many within Celtic Park have long seen in him.<

Read this – The backstory to Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter

Thank you to everyone who has already pre-ordered the late David Potter’s last ever Celtic book, Celtic in the Eighties, which will be published on the fifth day of September by Celtic Star Books. The link to pre-order your copy is below…