Scales tips on from Tallaght as move to Celtic confirmed

Liam Scales made 51 competitive appearances for Shamrock Rovers

Liam Scales made 51 competitive appearances for Shamrock Rovers Credit: Clare McCahill (ETPhotos)

Celtic confirmed on Friday morning that Liam Scales will swap the Hoops of Shamrock Rovers for the Hoops of the Scottish Premiership side.

The player, who turned 23 earlier this month, has signed a four year dealt with Celtic. 

“Liam is a young player who has impressed us and is someone who we think has the potential to have a big future at Celtic,” said Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou.

“He is an athletic defender who has the ability to play in a number of positions.

“As I have said before, everyone at the club has been working hard to add depth and quality to our squad and in signing Liam I think again we have made good progress. We all look forward to welcoming Liam to Celtic and to start working with him."

He makes the move to Glasgow for what is reported to be a figure of €600,000. 

Scales played his 51st and final game for Shamrock Rovers on Thursday evening when Rovers were eliminated 5-2 on aggregate at the play-off stage of the Europa Conference League by Estonian Champions Flora Tallinn.

He bade an emotional farewall to the Tallaght crowd after the final whistle throwing his jersey into the crowd.

The left footed defender has been one of the standout players for the Rovers this season playing in all 31 competitive games – starting 30 – and scoring four goals, helping the Hoops to the summit of the Premier Division where they currently have a three point lead at the top of the table with two games in hand over second placed St. Pat’s. 



Scales played in 20 of Rovers’ 24 competitive games last season. He helped Stephen Bradley’s side win their 18th League of Ireland title as he picked up the club’s young player of the year award.

He also made one appearance with Rovers II last year scoring in the 2-2 home draw against Drogheda United in the First Division. 

He played his underage football with Arklow Town before joining UCD’s under-19 squad in 2015. He made his senior team debut in 2016 and finished the season with two goals from 13 league appearances. He went on to play more than 100 times with the Students securing a First Division winners medal in 2018. 

He came close to joining League One side Bristol Rovers in the summer of 2019 before the deal fell through and he then made the switch from part-time football with UCD - following his graduation with an Arts degree in Geography and Irish - to full-time football with the Hoops in 2020. 

The Wicklow player was part of Stephen Kenny’s Republic of Ireland under-21 squad that played in the Toulon tournament in 2019 with Aaron Connolly, Jason Molumby, Dara O’Shea, Jason Knight, Caoimhin Kelleher and Adam Idah.



He will be hoping that the step up to playing in the Scottish Premiership might give him opportunities with Kenny’s senior Ireland team.

    About Macdara Ferris

    Macdara Ferris is a contributor since 2007 to Hoops Scene (Shamrock Rovers' match day programme) and is the co-author of two books on Shamrock Rovers - 'Tallaght Time: Shamrock Rovers 2009 to 2012' (with Karl … View Full Profile