Rachael Johnstone
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rachel Isabella Johnstone | ||
| Date of birth | 2 March 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | Glasgow, Scotland | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Heart of Midlothian | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2023 | Celtic | 2 | (0) |
| 2023 | Spartans | 3 | (0) |
| 2024– | Heart of Midlothian | 1 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2019 | Scotland U17 | 1 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | Scotland U19 | 5 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Rachael Johnstone (born 2 March 2004) is a Scottish footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Heart of Midlothian.
She has previously played for Celtic and Spartans, and has represented Scotland at under-17 and under-19 level.
Early life
[edit]Johnstone was born in Glasgow in 2004 and was brought up on the Isle of Lewis where her interest in football began.[1] She began playing for Stornoway Athletic’s under 15 boys team – an outfield player who got placed in goal temporarily, impressing when she did.
By the age of fourteen she was chosen for the Scotland national team, making her debut in a match against Poland.
Club career
[edit]Celtic
[edit]At the age of 16, Johnstone was in the first team at Celtic while also playing in the Scotland under-17 team.[2] Her family and particularly her mother Rhona were very supportive of her ambitions – the long distance between her home in Lewis and Glasgow made attending matches and training difficult. In November 2020, she moved to Glasgow, living in a flat in Paisley that she shared with five other teammates.[3]
In September 2021, Johnstone signed her first professional contract with Celtic.[4] She played in the 2021–22 Scottish Women's Cup final against Glasgow City, winning the match 3-2.[5]
Hearts
[edit]On 18 January 2024, Johnstone signed an 18-month contract with fellow SWPL team Heart of Midlothian, with the option of a further year extension.[6]
International career
[edit]Johnstone was not originally in the 26-player Scottish squad to play in the 2022 Pinatar Cup,[7] but injuries to Erin Cuthbert and Chloe Logan resulted in Leah Eddie and Johnstone being called up to the squad.[8]
Personal life
[edit]In 2022, Johnstone was playing football with an ambition to study business.
She wore the number 52 while at Celtic, which is the same as her family's house number in Balallan in Lewis.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ FC, Celtic. "Rachael Johnstone". Celtic FC. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
- ^ "Lewis goalkeeper Rachael Johnstone is star for Celtic and Scotland". Stornoway Gazette. 10 December 2020. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
- ^ a b MacLennan, Chris (1 January 2022). "Meet the Western Isles teen living out her dream as Celtic's number one (or 52)". Press and Journal. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
- ^ "Celtic goalkeeper Johnstone's career takes off after clocking up the air miles". The Herald. 5 December 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
- ^ "Depleted Celtic win Women's Scottish Cup". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
- ^ "Rachael joins Jambos – Hearts". www.heartsfc.co.uk. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "Chloe Logan earns first Scotland call-up". Scottish Football Association. 8 February 2022.
- ^ McPartlin, Patrick (14 February 2022). "Hibs Women defender Leah Eddie called into Scotland squad as Erin Cuthbert and Chloe Logan drop out". Edinburgh Evening News.
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