Stephen Welsh comes of age for Scotland after Motherwell and Swansea moves
October 6, 2026 10:31
Stephen Welsh has emerged as a growing presence for Scotland after a season of career-defining moves. The 26-year-old defender recorded his first Scotland win in Skopje and says the result brought "a bit of relief". He is expected to feature again when Slovenia visit Hampden on Tuesday (19:45 BST).
CAREER TURNING POINTS
Welsh was a Celtic academy product who left the club after "18 years of ups and downs". A childhood video he posted as he departed showed him in a Celtic shirt with the number 18 and the name 'Lennon' on the back. During his time at Celtic he played 70 games, but competition for centre-back places remained intense as Celtic brought in a number of signings, including Carl Starfelt, Liam Scales, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Yuki Kobayashi, Moritz Jenz, Maik Nawrocki, Gustaf Lagerbielke and Auston Trusty.
In search of regular football Welsh spent time on loan at Mechelen in Belgium before moving to Motherwell. He describes Jens Berthel Askou as "the biggest influence on my career by a distance," saying Askou "just gave me pure belief" and that Askou's detailed coaching changed his career path.
The subsequent move to Swansea reunited him with former Motherwell teammate Elijah Just. Welsh says Swansea manager Vitor Matos appreciates him; the club sat top of the Championship after eight games.
INTERNATIONAL PROGRESS
Welsh has won three caps for Scotland. His performances have been praised for composure in defence, accurate distribution and a convincing partnership with fellow newcomer Luis Binks. He acknowledged the disappointment of the 3-0 defeat to Switzerland — a game affected by Jack Hendry's early red card — calling that result "a sore one" and noting the squad had to "suffer for a good 80-90 minutes." He added the win in Skopje should help push the team forward.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
Scotland host Slovenia at Hampden on Tuesday with the international window closing afterwards. Manager Sebastien Pocognoli, who has shown trust in Welsh, will look for a positive finish to the camp.