Celtic Board’s Disdain for Shareholders & Fans Exposed in Farcical AGM

Major shareholder Dermot Desmond’s continued absence was underscored by son Ross' reading a deeply patronising statement that insulted the very fans who keep the club alive.

Today’s Celtic AGM was always going to be a fiery affair due to the mounting fan unrest following a disastrous summer transfer window and the failure to qualify for the Champions League proper. But what occurred at Celtic Park this morning was far beyond fiery, the AGM descended into turmoil and farce, revealing a board utterly out of touch with its shareholders and supporters.

The AGM was meant to be an occasion for transparency, accountability, and dialogue instead descended into chaos within minutes, exposing a leadership utterly disconnected from, dismissive of, and even hostile to the fans and shareholders who have helped to build this great club for generations. The scenes of directors fleeing the meeting amid chants of “out, out, out,” combined with the explosive nepotistic statement from Daddy Desmond read out by his son and patronising remarks from Chairman Peter Lawwell, revealed a board entrenched in arrogance, nepotism, and contempt for the very people who keep Celtic alive.

This was not an isolated incident; it occurred after months of mounting fan unrest fuelled by governance failures, unambitious recruitment, another ban on the Green Brigade, and the failure to qualify for the Champions League. The disconnect between the board and the fans has become a chasm that cannot be bridged by the board now.

A Fiasco Exposed

The Celtic AGM held at the Kerrydale Suite, Celtic Park, was meant to be an annual forum for transparency and accountability. Instead, it rapidly descended into chaos within minutes of commencing as hostile shareholders and fans flooded the room with boos, red cards, chants of “out, out, out” directed at the long-entrenched board - along with one shareholder demanding that they skip the regular video presentation and go straight to questions.

Chairman Peter Lawwell and the directors were confronted by an enraged section of the crowd, who jeered and called for their removal while praising interim manager Martin O’Neill - the only figure to receive genuine applause and support amid the acrimony. Lawwell’s attempts to restore order and appeal for respect, while at the same time belittling shareholders, fell flat. He warned disorderly conduct could result in the meeting being closed, but this only ignited further fury. Within five minutes, the meeting was adjourned, a humiliating collapse that exposed the deep fracture between the club’s leadership and its supporters.

Nepotism in Action

Principal shareholder Dermot Desmond was absent from the meeting in person as per usual. Instead, his son Ross Desmond delivered a combative and downright disgusting statement on his behalf that lit the fuse for the AGM’s implosion.

Ross Desmond’s words were a stark illustration of why so many fans feel alienated by Celtic’s board. The language painted dissenters and protesting fans as destructive and cynical agitators, irresponsibly dismissing legitimate concerns over poor recruitment, lack of ambition, and financial transparency as mere anti-establishment posturing.

Ross also took pains to defend his Daddy’s legacy, emphasising his long history with Celtic. The implication that critics of the board lack loyalty or understanding only fuelled resentment. For many fans, it was yet another example of a board insulated by nepotism, unwilling to engage honestly with supporters, and abdicating accountability.

The statement that Desmond read out from Daddy Desmond was a disgraceful epitome of the arrogance, nepotism, and disconnect that has plagued the club’s board for far too long. It was not merely a failed attempt at defending a struggling board; it was a hostile repudiation of the fans and shareholders - the very people whose passion, loyalty, and investment sustain Celtic Football Club.

From the outset, the statement’s tone was dismissive and condescending. Ross Desmond’s demand that the club would not be “bullied by aggressive or irrational factions” or “railroaded by those whose only vocation is to be anti-establishment” was a thinly veiled attack on fans who have legitimate grievances. To label concerned supporters as “anti-establishment” agitators trying to “degrade the club” is not only insulting; it is an attempt to silence constructive criticism by painting it as malice. This reveals a board utterly unwilling to take responsibility or engage meaningfully with dissent but rather resorting to vilification and scapegoating.

Ross’s description of the board’s management as “improving this club step by step” and acting “prudently, not recklessly” rings hollow in the face of recent failures. Supporting a strategy of cautious incrementalism may sound responsible on paper, but the average supporter who watches Celtic sees a painful lack of ambition. Fans are right to question the recruitment policy, the lack of bold investment, and the failure to build on past European success since 2003. Glossing over these flaws by blaming “those who talk about the club not having kicked on in Europe” as ignorant overlooks the very real frustrations of Celtic supporters who want their club to compete at the highest level again.

Perhaps the most galling aspect of the statement was how it romanticised Dermot Desmond’s role as a “passionate and lifelong Celtic supporter” who “wants the club to be healthy and successful.” While loyalty is admirable, it cannot excuse a regime whose grip on power is secured through nepotism and whose vast influence overshadows any semblance of democratic accountability. Dermot Desmond’s increasingly rare appearances and reliance on his son to communicate imply a board more concerned with legacy and control than the daily realities facing the club.

Ross Desmond’s portrayal of the board members as “tireless,” “dedicated Celtic people” who “suffer just as much” as fans when performances falter feels disconnected from the reality of fans who see directors insulated from the consequences of poor decisions. Describing attempts to hold this leadership accountable as attempts to “dehumanise and vilify” them is a defensive deflection from valid criticism. Fans are not attacking their personal life or their families; they demand transparent, competent leadership - a demand the current board has failed to meet. A demand that ANY shareholder of ANY business wants from the people who control their investment!

The statement’s overall tone is clearly one of entitlement and self-preservation rather than humility or openness. It serves as a glaring example of how out of touch this board is with the supporters who fill Celtic Park, buy club merchandise, and keep the club financially viable. This disconnected attitude is encapsulated in the decision to make such a confrontational declaration at the AGM, rather than inviting dialogue or meaningful engagement.

Daddy Desmond’s statement was not a defence; it was an insult. It was a reminder of the deeply rooted nepotism and arrogance dominating Celtic’s boardroom and a dismissal of fans who only want the best for their club. It is clear that only a radical change in leadership can restore trust, ambition, and respect at Celtic Football Club.

Lawwell’s Patronising Dismissal of Shareholders

Following the disruption, Peter Lawwell made a breathtakingly dismissive remark that infuriated fans telling them to behave, as if they were five year old kids acting out because they didn’t get sweets at the shops.

It clearly highlighted the clear disdain Lawwell has for supporters, investors, and the very people who underpin Celtic’s historic success - treating them as if they were immature children instead of the lifeblood of the club. No other chairman of any business would treat shareholders or for that matter their customers like a piece of shite, like Lawwell treated shareholders and fans today.

Collective Punishment: The Green Brigade Ban

This AGM debacle must be seen in the context of wider fan unrest. Just days prior, Celtic imposed a blanket ban on the Green Brigade supporters group following an alleged incident involving police and stewards at a league game against Falkirk.

Widely regarded as collective punishment, the ban was met with sharp criticism from fans. The Green Brigade has long been vocal in holding the board to account, and the club’s decision was seen as a deliberate crackdown on dissenting voices. Many fans perceive this ban as emblematic of a board more invested in controlling fan expression than building a truly inclusive and supportive community.​ They want robots sitting on their seats, buying merchandise, spending their money on food and drink, then leave without upsetting those in the padded green seats of the Director’s box.

The Unyielding Grip of Nepotism

At the root of Celtic’s governance crisis is Dermot Desmond’s dominance as principal shareholder. His growing absence from major club events, including the AGM, and reliance on his son Ross to speak on his behalf illustrate a toxic nepotism that has calcified the board as a closed elite.

Long-standing directors like Peter Lawwell and others remain loyal protectors of this regime. Instead of acting as representatives accountable to the club’s wider community, they serve as enforcers maintaining a status quo that prioritises the interests of a powerful few rather than the club’s supporters or footballing ambitions.

It is now clear that supporters have a clear mission, a crucial one that we must be united in – to remove a stale, nepotistic board and return the club to its rightful custodians: the fans.

The clear consensus among the Celtic faithful is that this board no longer embodies the spirit or interests of the club. The time for complacency is over.

The Future of Celtic Depends on Change

The farcical collapse of the Celtic AGM in 2025 was not merely about disruptive fans. It was a resounding indictment of a board that treats those who support and invest in the club with contempt, wraps itself in nepotism, and refuses to engage honestly with criticism. What other business treats their shareholders that way let along their customers also? And what board of directors would survive such attitudes and behaviours?

This board must be removed immediately. The fans must continue to rise up against this authoritarian board, boycott club merchandise and other areas where they expect us to spend our hard earned money. Boycott club events, and only turn up to show support to the team on matchdays.

The damning events of today’s AGM, make clear the urgent need for a new era of leadership, transparency, and respect.

This board are no longer worthy of being the custodians of Celtic Football Club.

Sack the Board!