Dermot Desmond the target of tennis balls protest at St Andrews golf event | OneFootball

Celtic’s largest shareholder Dermot Desmond was the target of protesters as he took part in Alfred Dunhill Links golf tournament at St Andrews yesterday afternoon as a flurry of tennis balls were thrown in his direction…

The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at The Old Course, St Andrews, Scotland on 03 October 2026: Celtic majority shareholder Dermot Desmond on the 18th green at the Old Course, St Andrews Photo Alex Todd IMAGO

These tennis balls had photos of the billionaire’s face (with the familiar red line through the it) were thrown on to the green of the 15th hole of the pro-am competition. Images emerged later showing Desmond being escorted off the course by a security guard, although there has been no claims that the Irishman was threatened in what was an entirely peaceful protest.

Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Dermot Desmond walks off the 18th green with a close security guard. Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, Golf, Round 3, Old Course St Andrews, Scotland, Photo Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock IMAGO

It’s clear that this incident took place on a golf course, as that is the only place you are likely to find the majority shareholder these days, and the protesting Celtic fans certainly took full advantage of in their pursuit to highlight his failings and get across the message that many Celtic supporters are extremely unhappy with the way the club is being run under Desmond’s iron grip.

The Celtic Fans Collective then released a short statement, along with footage and images of the incident.

It read: “Dermot Desmond has essentially been allowed to run Celtic Football Club whilst using his wealth to hide from supporters and accountability. Fans took the chance today to send a message that this arrangement cannot continue.”

Some will point out that this is just a small minority group of supporters but make no mistake, a significant  number of Celtic supporters are extremely unhappy with Dermot Desmond’s excessive influence, control and interference in the decision making at the club and yesterday for the first time this stepped outside of the Celtic sphere and into the Irishman’s greatest passion – the golf course.

Desmond has had his claws in the club for nigh on thirty years, and although you can’t deny his financial input at the club in the earlier years of his involvement , supporters quite rightly have been critical of the 76 year old due to his authoritarian mentality towards the decision making at the club.

Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Dermot Desmond walks off the 18th green with a close security guard. Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, Golf, Round 3, Old Course St Andrews, Scotland, Photo Stuart Wallace

Shutterstock/IMAGO

Tensions have been high for quite some time, due to the increasing incompetence that runs through our club, which seriously lacks any form of ambition, and it’s quite clear that we need a change of direction and leadership.

Supporters argue that Dermot Desmond has not put anything into the club for two decades and his investment ahas already earned him millions in dividends and his shares have more than doubled on value, so he has already done very well out of his involvement at Celtic.

In contrast the Celtic Board, controlled by Dermot Desmond, has shown no willingness to assist in reuniting thousands of Celtic supporters with their lost or misplaced shares  that were bought by families after Fergus McCann took over from the last regime that a Celtic supporter protest helped bring down. Celtic Supporters Ltd (CSL) will have a motion at the AGM asking for Celtic PLC to do just that. Their answer will be telling.

Dermot Desmond may have invested £50m in Celtic back then but every year Celtic supporters collectively put that and more into the club they all love, yet many feel that they have no voice at all in the way the club is being managed, or more accurately mismanaged.

During the COVID season which was a crisis for all football club, Celtic was one of very few clubs around the world that benefited from their season ticket holders – over 50k of them – all being their season ticket money in full to fund the club. They got no shares, very little thanks and next to know joy watching the shambles that as delivered on and off the park.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou Unveiling – Celtic Park Celtic new manager Ange Postecoglou right and Chief Executive Dominic McKay pose for a photo at Celtic Park Glasgow. Friday June 25, 2021. Photo Jeff Holmes Getty Images

The board got lucky through accident more than design landing with Ange Postecoglou as manager and at the same time a competent CEO in Dom Mckay. But the latter wanted to do his job as the CHIEF EXECUTIVE and by regarding Desmond as what he actually is – a minority shareholder and a non executive director – his fate was sealed within 72 days.

Michael Nicholson, Chief Executive Officer of Celtic, looks on from the stands before during the Premier Sports Cup Quarter Final match between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox on September 13, 2026 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Michael Nicholson became the puppet CEO and has remained in place ever since awaiting instructions from his master’s voice.

Celtic are back in action at lunchtime next Sunday, a week today. We will be at Motherwell but we have no idea at all from the club whether Martin O’Neill will be the manager or not. There has been no communication at all since Martin admitted that he would consider his position after three back-to-back bruising defeats.

It’s clear that change needs to come at Celtic. That change needs to start at the very top, and at Celtic Football Club Dermot Desmond is at the very top of the tree.

Brendan Rodgers, Manager of Celtic, applauds prior to the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off second leg match between FC Bayern München and Celtic FC at Allianz Arena on February 18, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

Two statements from Dermot Desmond  – one attacking Brendan Rodgers posted on the official Celtic FC website last October and the other read out on his behalf by Desmond’s son Ross at the Celtic AGM shortly afterwards told the Celtic supporters plenty about the irishman’s vision – or lack of it – for the club.

Ross Desmond at the 2025 Celtic AGM. Photo social media

Last night Dermot Desmond by the looks of it, dug out the password for the official site and unleashed his fury at the peaceful protest at St Andrews yesterday afternoon. We’ll look at that next.

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