David Turnbull, born in Carluke on 10 July 1999 (age 27), came through at Motherwell and made his name quickly. His 2018-19 league season at Fir Park remains the sharpest scoring run of his career: 15 goals in 30 appearances from midfield.
Celtic signed him from Motherwell in August 2020 for around £3.5m. Turnbull was not the most explosive midfielder in the squad, but he had clean technique, set-piece value and a useful habit of arriving with a goal. Across four seasons he made 100 league appearances and scored 25 league goals.
His Celtic spell brought proper substance: two Premiership titles, in 2021-22 and 2022-23, two Scottish Cups and two League Cups. That is the period that gives his career its weight, and it was a productive one by any sensible measure.
Turnbull left Celtic in February 2024, joining Cardiff City for around £2m. He has continued as a central midfielder there, wearing number 14, and in 2026-27 has made one Championship appearance.
His career runs from early promise at Motherwell to a significant Celtic spell, then on to Cardiff. The Celtic years remain the main part of the story: goals, trophies and a solid first-team contribution rather than mere squad decoration.
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