Ex-Celtic starlet lifts lid on life after Parkhead and his close bond with £3.5m Scotland ace

Former Celtic youngster Matthew Anderson says he has no regrets about leaving Parkhead in the summer to join new club Kortrijk in the Belgian First Division.

The Scotland youth international impressed on Celtic’s tour of the USA in the summer of 2024 and had an impressive loan stint at Austrian side Wacker last season, leaving some fans believing he could have been an option for Brendan Rodgers’ senior squad this season.

However, with first-team opportunities expected to be limited, the 21-year-old opted to depart in order to pursue his career in Belgium, penning a three-year deal at the Guldensporen Stadion in June.

Matthew Anderson during his time at Celtic. | SNS Group

Currently top of the league after winning all four of their opening league games, Anderson opened up on his life with the Flanders-based side, and why he believes so many young Scots are making similar moves abroad.

“They came in early in the summer and seemed really keen,” said Anderson. “The manager was Club Brugge assistant last season, so in a way it is similar to how I’ve been brought up to play at Celtic. They seemed really ambitious. We've just signed a player [Denes Vilmos], now that I think I just read on the news that Aberdeen tried to sign him for a million euros. If we do get what we want, which is promotion, then playing in the top division of Belgium is perfect for someone like me.

“When I went to Austria [with Admira Wacker], it was a partnership with Celtic, so I was with someone else and in the centre of Vienna. So it's hugely different from being in Kortrijk, which is a small city in Belgium. But it's much closer to home. I know it's only it's an hour-and-a-half flight to Brussels. So my girlfriend is at university in Glasgow, but she comes over really often. She's going to fly back with me this week, so I've been loving it. I know the weather's going to change, but it's been amazing weather so far as well, which is a big difference.”

On discussing his decision to move abroad permanently, the South Lanarkshire-born youngster opened up on the advice he has received from Scotland international and lifelong friend Max Johnston, who played in the Austrian Bundesliga with Sturm Graz for three seasons before joining Derby County for a reported fee of £3.5million in the summer.

“There’s a pathway of going abroad,” said Anderson. “Lennon's [Miller] done it now as well. Max has been abroad. I think the success rate is probably more than staying in Scotland, for some reason, it just seems to work. So I did look at that, and I thought when I was in Austria, especially the first season, it really suited me, the way we played. It started that way in Belgium so far, so I have no complaints.

Scotland youth international Matthew Anderson has revealed how his friendship with Max Johnston has helped in within his career. | SNS Group

“Max and I rekindled a bit when we came back to when I first got picked for Scotland under-21s, but we played in the same boys club around the same area. So I've always been tight in terms of Max, but he became one of my really good friends when I moved to Austria, and we had that connection as well. Since then, we have really kept in contact.

“We played together at Blantyre Boys Club. It's Blantyre soccer academy now. I played the year above at that point, so me and Max played in the same team for a little while. Then I went to Celtic at that point, got released. So then we ended up going to Motherwell together as well. I've almost grown up with Max, to be honest.”

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