Signed in the January transfer window of 2015, few would have imagined how successful the midfielder would be in his three and a half seasons with Celtic. Joining from Dundee United with Gary Mackay-Steven in a deal worth around £2 million, the Inverness-born star enjoyed a trophy-laden spell at a time when the club was extremely dominant.
Celtic’s success has continued over the years since Armstrong left, as evidenced by the odds fans will find for the club with licensed UK betting operators and offshore, often called the no KYC bookmakers, as offshore operators can often be the best option for competitive odds.
Next season could see a bit more competition with the blue half of Glasgow set to appoint a new manager and welcome much-needed investment.
Armstrong moved down south to Southampton and was never likely to compete for the same amount of silverware as he could up here, but Celtic fans were able to enjoy Armstrong’s best spell at any club.
Stuart Armstrong enjoyed a better Celtic career than fellow Scotland international Gary Mackay-Steven after the duo joined after impressing at Dundee United. Both players had made well over 100 appearances for United before the switch, giving them the experience they needed to slot right into a top SPL side.
Scoring 28 goals and getting 28 assists in his 144 games for Celtic, Armstrong helped the club to four league titles, two Scottish Cups, and two Scottish League Cups. He was also voted into the PFA Scottish Premiership team of the season twice while playing in green and white.
The 2017/18 season, his last with Celtic, saw the club go unbeaten domestically, earning him a move to England for a fee of around £7 million. This transfer fee represented a massive return on investment for a player who performed admirably during his time with the club. As a central midfielder. His flexibility as a player who could operate anywhere across the midfield, as well as his dribbling, passing, and shooting abilities, made him a valuable member of the squad.
He went on to earn 53 caps for Scotland during his career, which is not over yet, after starting with Dyce Boys Club before moving on to the youth set-ups of Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Dundee United. 21 goals and 31 assists in 150 appearances for Dundee United was an impressive return, and Celtic did well to secure a deal for the exciting player.
He went on to make 214 appearances for Southampton, many of which were in the English Premier League, and this was the major contributing factor behind his decision to move. In 2024, he moved to Canada and won the Canadian Championship with the Vancouver Whitecaps, before returning to the UK this year with Sheffield Wednesday.
Not all players who move on from a club are remembered fondly, but Armstrong’s professionalism and quality mean that he is still respected by those associated with the club. A great record against Rangers also helped, losing just once in 14 games, with 2 draws, 11 victories, 3 goals, and 2 assists.
