The Celtic Board – They have been making mugs of us for too long

In partnership with

The Celtic Star

·2 September 2025

The Celtic Board – They have been making mugs of us for too long

Where do you even start trying to sum up this mess?

Peter Lawwell, Michael Nicholson and Chris McKay applaud during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Livingston at Celtic Park on August 23, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

You could research and write a 300 page dissertation on the absolute shambles that is currently playing out at Celtic and still not get everything off your chest that needs said. Honestly it’s hard to even pinpoint particular areas that need discussed as the whole club from top to bottom is in absolute disarray.

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Alistair Johnson celebrates with Kyogo. Ross County v Celtic in Dingwall. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

This current malaise goes right back to January when Kyogo was allowed to leave to join Rennes with no replacement brought in. This of course was just before we took on the might of Bayern Munich in the knockout stages of the Champions League, that we had done so well to reach. We bemoaned the lack of activity in finding a suitable replacement but were assured that the situation would be rectified come the summer.

The summer transfer window has now been and gone and guess what? Not only have we failed to replace Kyogo, we have actually sold his understudy who bagged 20 goals last season and failed to replace him too! It is honestly one of the most bewildering and self harming actions I can remember in my life watching football. It genuinely feels like the people running Celtic are purposely sabotaging our club.

Daizen Maeda celebrates scoring the winning goal during the Scottish Cup Fourth Round match between Celtic and Kilmarnock at Celtic Park on January 18, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

On top of that we are still short in many other areas. For a start we have brought in two wingers in the past week, both who play on the left wing. The same wing that Daizen Maeda plays and Jota plays when he gets back to full health. So that’s 4 players out left, what about out right?

Well we have an ageing James Forrest, who we love but thought he would be used as an impact sub at most during the twilight of his career, and Yang, a player we have basically told we don’t want and should currently be a Birmingham City player if there hadn’t have been a last minute hitch. It beggars belief.

Watching Celtic flail around in this transfer window was like watching one of my favourite stages of the TV show The Apprentice. The premise of the episode is Alan Sugar gives them a list of items they must buy inside a set time limit and they must scour a local area trying to find said items. Any item not retrieved comes with a heavy fine. The winner is the one who can get the deals done by spending the least money.

Dermot Desmond and Peter Lawwell. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Every year there is always some contestants who fall into the same trap. In the pursuit of picking up a bargain some of these idiots come into a shop ask how much the shopkeeper wants for an item then come of with some ridiculous counter offer. The seller ends up offended and the contestants constant lowballing annoys them so much they refuse to get into a reasonable negotiation.

The contestant then says screw this and moves on, thinking they can get a better deal elsewhere. They inevitably run out of time and are harshly punished for either failing to buy anything or panicking right at the death and overpaying massively just to get the item. Sound familiar?

Yep our board are that smug, arrogant contestant who usually starts the show full of hubris, often coming off with some ridiculous statement like “I can taste success in my spit when I wake up”. They think it’s always about making the most money. Buy low, sell high. If the client doesn’t like your lowball offer then walk away, move on to the next deal. I’ll let you guess how these contestants fare.

Yep they are unceremoniously sacked during the first few weeks. The ones who do well know that it’s about give and take. Negotiating in a reasonable manner, never offending the seller. Identifying what you want and moving to strike a deal quickly. Knowing that a seller will pick up on the smell of desperation as time runs out and rinse you dry.

Dermot Desmond (L) and Chief Executive of Celtic Peter Lawwell look on prior to the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 first leg match between Celtic FC and FC Internazionale Milano at Celtic Park Stadium on February 19, 2015. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

I doubt we will ever hear from these charlatans about how and why things played out this way during this summer. They are a spineless bunch of cowards, too aloof to explain what is happening at the club to us peasants, who they treat like a soggy cigarette butt stuck to the bottom of their shoe.

They have lapped up the praise from the media over the years, applauding them on making Celtic one of the most healthy football clubs in the UK financially. They think they are wonderful business men that have created the blueprint on how a football club should be run. They couldn’t be more wrong, and they are soon going to find that out.

Celtic Chairman Peter Lawwell and Chief Executive Michael Nicholson in the directors box. Celtic v Kilmarnock, Cinch Scottish Premiership, 17 February 2024. Photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

It is us, the fans, that has made this club what it is. Without us Celtic Football Club is nothing and they need to remember that. They haven’t made Celtic what it is today, even through they probably tell themselves that as they pat each other on the back and stare gleefully at the bank balance.

The fans have. Our support are known all over the globe and that’s what makes our club so renowned. It’s our fervent fans worldwide, who are known for our strong political and social opinions that draw interest from people everywhere.

We haven’t been a footballing force in Europe since the ’70s yet as I have found out as I travelled the world over the past two decades, football fans everywhere know us. Ask them to name one player and they couldn’t, but one thing they do know is our fans. They know we bring an army of supporters wherever we go.

They have watched videos of us party in main squares throughout Europe as bemused locals look on. They have watched our fan base stand politically on the right side of history with our support of Palestine. Our support of the Basque Country. Our charitable causes helping the poor throughout the world.

theRangers v Celtic,31 August 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Celtic fans will not let the Celtic board get away with this. Not this time. We have had our fingers burnt too many times and we won’t fall for their excuses anymore. It’s a hard thing to do, show your dissatisfaction for how the club is run without hurting the club we love in the process.

There are much brighter folk than me in our fan base who will come up with how to hurt the board without hurting the club. The one thing I know is that we should all participate. If I takes not buying merchandise, not buying tickets, not buying food or drink at the grounds then so be it as long as these bunch of snakes get the message.

Season tickets have gone up in price this year, yet as always they were still purchased. Where has that money went? Straight towards yet another bonus for the board who once again made profit during this window, as the decline on the park just keeps rolling. They have been making mugs of us for too long. The day has come to fight back, in whatever way possible.

Conall McGinty

Celtic in the Eighties – Out Now! In Celtic shops on Friday…

Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter, out now!

Celtic in the Eighties by the late, great David Potter is published this Friday 5 September by Celtic Star Books. All pre-ordered copies have now been signed by Celtic legend Danny McGrain who has also written the foreword for David Potter’s final book.

These copies have now been posted to everyone who has pre-ordered with copies being send all over the world. It’s been an incredible response, so thank you to each and every one of you who will be receiving your signed book shorty.

Celtic in the Eighties will be available in the Celtic superstore and all other club shops from Friday 5 September. And don’t forget that you can still purchase your copy from Celticstarbooks.com for same day postage. The next 30 orders will also receive a FREE copy of an earlier David Potter book, Alec McNair, Celtic’s Icicle then that wonderful David Potter book will be out of stock.