Max Johnston (footballer)
Updated: 12/11/2025, 5:02:20 PM Wikipedia source
Max Johnston (born 26 December 2003) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a right-back for EFL Championship club Derby County and the Scotland national team. Johnston started his career at the Motherwell academy, making his senior debut in 2021, where he also had loan spells at Queen of the South and Cove Rangers. In 2023, Johnston moved to Austria to sign with Sturm Graz where he would stay for two years, before moving to England to sign with Derby County.
Infobox
2019
Scotland U16
2022
Scotland U19
2023
Sturm Graz II
Date of birth
(2003-12-26) 26 December 2003 (age 21)
Place of birth
Middlesbrough, England
Height
1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position
Right-back
Current team
Derby County
Number
22
Years
Team
2021–2023
Motherwell
2021–2022
→ Queen of the South (loan)
2023–2025
Sturm Graz
2025–
Scotland
2022–2024
Scotland U21
Tables
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition · Career statistics › Club
Division
Division
Club
Division
Season
Apps
League
Goals
League
Apps
League
Goals
National cup
Apps
National cup
Goals
League cup
Apps
League cup
Goals
Continental
Apps
Continental
Goals
Other
Apps
Other
Goals
Motherwell
Motherwell
Club
Motherwell
Season
2020–21
League
Scottish Premiership
League
2
League
0
National cup
0
National cup
0
League cup
0
League cup
0
Continental
0
Continental
0
Other
–
Other
2
Total
0
2021–22
2021–22
Club
2021–22
Season
Scottish Premiership
League
0
League
0
League
0
National cup
0
National cup
0
League cup
0
League cup
–
Continental
–
Continental
0
Other
0
2022–23
2022–23
Club
2022–23
Season
Scottish Premiership
League
17
League
3
League
2
National cup
0
National cup
0
League cup
0
League cup
0
Continental
0
Continental
–
Other
19
Other
3
Total
Total
Club
Total
Season
19
League
3
League
2
League
0
National cup
0
National cup
0
League cup
0
League cup
0
Continental
–
Continental
21
Other
3
Queen of the South (loan)
Queen of the South (loan)
Club
Queen of the South (loan)
Season
2021–22
League
Scottish Championship
League
25
League
2
National cup
2
National cup
0
League cup
0
League cup
0
Continental
–
Continental
4
Other
1
Other
31
Total
3
Cove Rangers (loan)
Cove Rangers (loan)
Club
Cove Rangers (loan)
Season
2022–23
League
Scottish Championship
League
11
League
0
National cup
0
National cup
0
League cup
0
League cup
0
Continental
–
Continental
–
Other
11
Other
0
Sturm Graz
Sturm Graz
Club
Sturm Graz
Season
2023–24
League
Austrian Bundesliga
League
20
League
0
National cup
2
National cup
0
League cup
–
League cup
7
Continental
0
Continental
–
Other
29
Other
0
2024–25
2024–25
Club
2024–25
Season
Austrian Bundesliga
League
24
League
1
League
2
National cup
0
National cup
–
League cup
5
League cup
0
Continental
–
Continental
31
Other
1
2025–26
2025–26
Club
2025–26
Season
Austrian Bundesliga
League
3
League
1
League
1
National cup
0
National cup
–
League cup
1
League cup
0
Continental
–
Continental
5
Other
1
Total
Total
Club
Total
Season
47
League
2
League
5
League
0
National cup
0
National cup
0
League cup
13
League cup
0
Continental
–
Continental
65
Other
2
Sturm Graz II
Sturm Graz II
Club
Sturm Graz II
Season
2023–24
League
2. Liga
League
7
League
0
National cup
–
National cup
–
League cup
–
League cup
–
Continental
7
Continental
0
Derby County
Derby County
Club
Derby County
Season
2025–26
League
EFL Championship
League
9
League
0
National cup
0
National cup
0
League cup
–
League cup
–
Continental
–
Continental
9
Other
0
Career total
Career total
Club
Career total
Season
118
League
7
League
9
League
0
National cup
0
National cup
0
League cup
13
League cup
0
Continental
4
Continental
1
Other
144
Other
8
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Motherwell | 2020–21 | Scottish Premiership | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 | 0 | |
| 2021–22 | Scottish Premiership | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2022–23 | Scottish Premiership | 17 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 19 | 3 | ||
| Total | 19 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 21 | 3 | |||
| Queen of the South (loan) | 2021–22 | Scottish Championship | 25 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 | 1 | 31 | 3 | |
| Cove Rangers (loan) | 2022–23 | Scottish Championship | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 11 | 0 | ||
| Sturm Graz | 2023–24 | Austrian Bundesliga | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 7 | 0 | – | 29 | 0 | ||
| 2024–25 | Austrian Bundesliga | 24 | 1 | 2 | 0 | – | 5 | 0 | – | 31 | 1 | |||
| 2025–26 | Austrian Bundesliga | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | 1 | 0 | – | 5 | 1 | |||
| Total | 47 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | – | 65 | 2 | |||
| Sturm Graz II | 2023–24 | 2. Liga | 7 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 7 | 0 | ||||
| Derby County | 2025–26 | EFL Championship | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 9 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 118 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 144 | 8 | ||
Appearances and goals by national team and year · Career statistics › International
Scotland
Scotland
National team
Scotland
Year
2025
Apps
4
Goals
0
Total
Total
National team
Total
Year
4
Apps
0
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Scotland | 2025 | 4 | 0 |
| Total | 4 | 0 | |
References
- Includes Scottish Cup, Austrian Cup, FA Cup
- Includes Scottish League Cup, EFL Cup
- Appearances in Scottish Challenge Cup
- One appearance in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League, four appearances in UEFA Europa Conferen
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- One appearance in UEFA Champions League
- motherwellfc.co.ukhttps://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/player/max-johnston/
- scottishfa.co.ukhttps://www.scottishfa.co.uk/players/?pid=282077&lid=17
- scottishfa.co.ukhttps://www.scottishfa.co.uk/players/?pid=282077&lid=9
- dailyrecord.co.ukhttps://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/local-sport/rangers-heros-son-new-academy-23331519
- skysports.comhttps://www.skysports.com/football/motherwell-vs-hamilton-academical/report/425735
- nottheoldfirm.comhttps://www.nottheoldfirm.com/interview/motherwell-manager-graham-alexander-looking-for-response-against-old-pal-as-he-praises-max-johnston/
- "QosFC: Welcome - Max Johnston"http://www.qosfc.com/news-5519
- motherwellfc.co.ukhttps://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2022/09/06/max-johnston-joins-cove-rangers-on-loan/
- Motherwell Football Clubhttps://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/?p=110610
- The Sunday Timeshttps://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/article/sfwa-young-player-year-max-johnston-63vrg7c37
- sksturm.athttps://sksturm.at/n/schottische-power-fuer-den-sk-sturm
- bbc.co.uk/sporthttps://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cn92n2ezezwo
- dcfc.co.ukhttps://www.dcfc.co.uk/news/2025/08/transfer-news-scotland-international-max-johnston-signs-for-derby-county
- bbc.co.uk/sporthttps://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/ceqyelly0ezt
- www.qosfc.comhttps://www.qosfc.com/news-5717
- BBC Sporthttps://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67121627
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/mar/20/scott-mctominay-on-spot-to-sink-greece-and-put-scotland-in-driving-seat
- Glasgow Timeshttps://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/scottish-news/25391563.former-spfl-legend-sammy-johnston-dies-aged-58/
- Max Johnston at Soccerwayhttps://int.soccerway.com/players/max-johnston/662679/
- Soccerbasehttps://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=131142&season_id=153
- Soccerbasehttps://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=131142&season_id=154
- Soccerbasehttps://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=131142&season_id=155
- Soccerbasehttps://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=131142&season_id=158