I’M HOPING FOR A FAMILY PARTY

Johnston is craving to become a history Bhoy and celebrate in style with his parents

FOR Alistair Johnston, today’s Scottish Cup final could be considered a generation game. Sealing a little place in Celtic history by winning a Treble would mean Johnston had amassed three medals in five months at the club. Not a bad start to the collection with which he hopes to one day dazzle his children and grandchildren.

More immediately, though, it would put a broad smile on the face of his father.

Bill Johnston is travelling over from Canada to be at Hampden today, ready to check his son’s growing list of achievements is accurately portrayed online.

‘My dad will always Google my name,’ grinned Johnston (below with the cup). ‘I tell him it’s not a good idea because when it’s going well it’s going to be fun. When it’s not, it’s not going to be great.

‘But he says: “Look, you go on to your Wikipedia or whatever and the first thing that comes up is winner of this and winner of this”.

‘At the end of the day, you do want those accolades and accomplishments beside your name when you do hang it up.

‘We’re lucky enough we get paid handsomely to do something we love, come in a couple of hours a day and kick a ball around. It could be a lot more difficult.

‘But you want to look back and potentially show your kids and grandkids some medals, some things you’ve done. So that they actually believe you did play.’

Mum Kathryn will also be at the national stadium after tracking last weekend’s Premiership title party from the family home in Ontario.

‘They were seeing all the pictures from the celebrations on the pitch and stuff,’ said the 24-year-old right-back. ‘We were at our team function later and it was late when I got a call. I thought: “Who’s this calling me at this time?” It turned out it was my dad, asking me if I was enjoying myself. I told him it had been a great evening.

‘He then told me they’d just booked flights because they felt they were missing out. My dad’s already been at Hampden, but my mum hasn’t experienced it, so she’s excited.

‘Hopefully, we can seal it the right way and they can see a good celebration afterwards.’

Listening to their boy, you’d think Kathryn might have to keep Bill on a short leash after he wholeheartedly embraced Celtic’s Old Firm victory in February’s League Cup final.

‘Yes, he was there and he was loving it,’ smiled Johnston, capped 34 times by Canada. ‘I’m not too sure he remembers it too well because he was enjoying himself quite a bit.

‘All the other parents came up to him and they could tell he was probably the one who wasn’t 100-per-cent sure where to go. So they looked after him, which was really nice.’

While Johnston’s parents are crossing the Atlantic, there will still be plenty of interest in how his Treble bid fares back in Canada. Most notably, perhaps, from an ex-Montreal FC team-mate.

Victor Wanyama spent two successful years at Celtic before making a £12.5million switch to Southampton in 2013. Now operating in the MLS, Wanyama offered Johnston a glowing recommendation about life at Parkhead.

‘He actually moved into my apartment, so he’s texting me all the time and asking me things like: “How do you turn on the washer, the dryer?”,’ continued Johnston.

‘But he’s been really happy for me and he still reaches out. I’m trying to get him out to a match this year, whenever Montreal’s season finishes.

‘I think he’d be a great ambassador to come back and get that love again from the fans. He’s been following all the matches with his

My folks are coming from Canada... they felt they were missing out!

Celtic TV account. He tells me we’ve been playing really good football and he’s been impressed.’ Some current colleagues in the Celtic dressing room draw even higher regard from Johnston. Captain Callum McGregor and experienced winger James Forrest are aiming for their fifth Treble in seven years. ‘They’re great role models,’ said Johnston. ‘Not just because of how they come in and train. The pressure that comes with being a Celtic player, both on and off the pitch — you don’t live a normal life. ‘I’ve been fortunate to see it from the other side, playing in the MLS. I could walk around any city and you don’t get recognised. ‘Here, it’s the complete opposite. Anywhere you go, you’re getting people coming up to you. Sometimes it’s the other side who are harassing you a little bit. ‘You understand it’s a different life. You can’t ever really take a minute to yourself, unless you’re in your own home. ‘You can see why a lot of guys probably burn out. It gets really difficult being in that limelight, having that pressure to not only to perform in every match but win in every match and win every competition you are in.

‘For us guys who have just walked in the door, that really sets the standard. If you’re feeling a little tired, you think: “That guy’s been doing it for 15 years and he’s not tired, he’s still chomping at the bit”.

‘That stuff really impresses me and it’s why they’re the leaders of this group.’

Coming from the outside also gives Johnston perspective on Celtic’s dominance of silverware.

‘In my career leading up to here, I’d never won a trophy — never really got close,’ he reflected.

‘So, to have already won two in five months is a great start and this is an opportunity to complete a Treble.

‘I think it can almost be lost because of how many Trebles this club has won in the past decade or so. But when you really look at it in the world of football, there are not a lot of players who have the opportunity to say they’ve won a Treble. That’s not lost on us.’

Johnston is adamant Celtic will treat Championship outsiders Inverness like it’s ‘a Champions League match’. Such are the standards manager Ange Postecoglou demands.

Of course, the great question hanging over this final is whether it marks the end for Postecoglou in Glasgow. Tottenham are expected to step up their interest in the Australian early next week.

‘The manager keeps his cards close to his chest,’ said Johnston. ‘That’s how he always is.

‘He keeps us super focused on the task at hand and, at the end of the day, he’s got a cup final to prepare us for.

‘He hasn’t let any of that talk get into the locker room. And that’s for the best. But that’s how he runs his ship.

‘He doesn’t focus on outside noise at all, he just focuses on the people who are inside the building.

‘We’ve all heard the talk, obviously. But no one’s too bothered by it. No one’s making a big fuss.

‘We have a massive match coming up and he’s been at the forefront of that, making sure our heads and minds are in the right place so that we go into the cup final and take care of business.’