Insights into Main Stand and Celtic Museum projects

In partnership with

The Celtic Star

·8 September 2025

Insights into Main Stand and Celtic Museum projects

It may feel like a trifling issue in the face of the current unity among Celtic supporters challenging a Board that has allowed the club to coast outside domestic football for far too long, but the question of the long-mooted South Stand redevelopment is back on the agenda with the Celtic support…

Celtic Park on Trophy Day. Photo The Celtic Star

It was interesting to note in the minutes from Celtic’s Executive meeting with the CSA on 5 September 2025 that there was comment from one of the points of discussion – a rebuild of the main stand is “not viable while we remain in the SPFL.”

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For supporters, that raises more questions than it does answers, as final as the comment appears to be. With no European league, Atlantic League, or alternative coalition of clubs on the horizon, the comment very much sounds like we can forget stadium development completely, as it doesn’t seem like Celtic will be leaving the SPFL any time soon.

Michael Nicholson, Chief Executive of Celtic FC looks on from the stands prior to the William Hill Premiership match between Celtic FC and St Mirren FC at Celtic Park on May 17, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Celtic themselves acknowledged in their Saturday night statement that the cash reserves built up over time – estimated now to be in in the region of £100m – would not be funnelled into squad strengthening but instead held as a cushion against the ‘volatilities’ of world football.

But if not the team, then why not the stadium?

Here’s what the minutes recorded from the Celtic Supporters Association meeting with club executives where the issue was discussed –

CELTIC SUPPORTERS MEETING NOTES – 5 September 2025

Venue: Celtic Park

Date: Friday 5 September 2025

Present (Celtic FC): Michael Nicholson (CEO), Chris McKay (CFO), John Paul Taylor (SLO), Iain Jamieson (PR Manager), Kevin McQuillan (Technology Manager), George Campbell (Club Lawyer)

Minutes: John Grant

CSA Exec: John Andrews, Joe O’Rourke & John Grant (minutes)

Affiliation: Apologies

Irish Ass’n: Gerry McDonnell

The meeting was requested by Joe O’Rourke with invitations extended to the Affiliation of CSCs & Irish Association of CSCs (three major fan groups), to discuss the recent disappointing transfer window and disconnect between Celtic and fanbase.

Note: Affiliation chose to meet with the club separately (that afternoon).

CONCERNS RAISED:

Communication with Supporters:

Club accepts communication needs to improve.

Regular meetings with most fan groups via various mediums.

All registered fan groups have CEO contact details and can request meetings.

Rotational invitation to fan media conferences.

Regular fan forums.

SLO highlighted as very active.

New app for fans expected soon.

Club will issue a Statement addressing fans’ concerns.

Long Term Footballing Strategy:

Strategy unchanged: world-class club, dominant in Scotland, regular Champions League qualification, operating sustainably.

All signings aligned with manager.

Actual summer spend “significantly higher” than media reports.

Player Investment:

Ongoing refresh of first team and youth pipeline.

Paul Tisdale appointed Head of Football Operations.

Shaun Maloney appointed Professional Player Pathway Manager.

Stadium Safety:

Crowd migration, pyros discussed.

Reviewing options to expand safe standing.

TRANSFERS:

Work on signings begins months in advance.

Some players declined Celtic for “long-term ambitions.”

Celtic rejected multi-million bids for current players.

Agents highlighted as a major obstacle.

One long-term target expected January.

FINANCES:

CL failure had no effect on planned spend.

Major investment at Barrowfield and Lennoxtown.

Hotel development now unlikely.

Museum may be integrated into stadium.

Significant sums spent on maintenance.

South Stand rebuild not viable while in SPFL.

Large cash balance necessary for sustainability/UEFA compliance.

SURVEYS:

50,000 responses; data being reformatted for release.

MULTIMEDIA:

Celtic operates with ~30 staff, compared to EPL clubs with 100+.

Concerns raised about staff being targeted.

Minute Secretary, 6th September 2025

Celtic fans celebrate the title win. 17 May 2025.. Vagelis Georgariou

Supporters might then ask why, if Celtic’s surplus cannot be spent on players, it cannot be invested in infrastructure. Redeveloping the South Stand is not simply about squeezing in another 10,000–20,000 seats, though the rumoured closed waiting list of 18,000 would suggest demand is already guaranteed.

It’s about modernisation and of course revenue, and increasing the latter is vital for Celtic. The corporate and hospitality facilities at Celtic Park are outdated in the Main Stand in particular. Compare to Hampden whose hospitality suites are in constant demand throughout the week for conferences and events. Or look further afield at Europe’s top clubs, who have transformed their stadiums into year-round venues for concerts, American football, and business gatherings.

Celtic, meanwhile, sit on reserves while the stadium’s marquee on European nights serves as a symbol of under-ambition in UEFA competitions. Almost like we’re not taking European football seriously –perish the thought!

Celtic already have the captive audience. Every matchday, thousands of supporters arrive hours early – some on supporters’ buses, on early trains or buses to avoid the sardine-crush, or by car to get a space before the parking nightmare sets in. Families too, arriving with time to spare, kicking their heels, killing time, with bored kids to entertain.

Paulo Bernardo of Celtic arrives at Celtic Park. Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Premiership, 10 May 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

What are the options when they get there? Burger vans and the Celtic Store. That’s about it. And not a toilet in sight.

Why isn’t the club keeping those supporters within the Celtic Park footprint, giving them something to spend their money on? Fan zones could show early kick-offs on big screens, the later kick off games after the final whistle has sounded at Celtic Park, with music, food, and entertainment to keep families engaged and supporters mingling. A proper South Stand redevelopment could anchor that – better concourses, more food and drink outlets, more reasons to arrive early and stay later, and that’s before you get to the different packages corporate customers would be willing to stretch too.

This is money supporters are willing to spend. Right now, Celtic send it elsewhere.

It isn’t just about matchdays either. Redevelopment would bring long-overdue modern facilities that could host business events and conferences midweek, just as Hampden and countless other European stadiums already do. It would make Celtic Park a 365-day venue.

Friday night football at Celtic Park. Photo The Celtic Star

Add in a museum – long discussed but never committed too –and we’d have a bona fide tourist attraction. If you think that’s a pipe-dream the Celtic Park tour is already a big tourist attraction in Glasgow, indeed Trip Advisor recently had it as the third best attraction in the city.

Football tourism is big business these days, so a short hop to a museum, perhaps alongside a hotel, seems a joint development enterprise worth undertaking, that would make sense and ultimately bring big profits into the club.

The timing, while money is in surplus, seems right. Do this on our terms, at a time that suits the club, and see the returns begin to flow. Or wait until circumstances force our hand – when the cost will inevitably be higher and the timing worse. It is going to have to happen one day is it not?

Ultimately, it comes back to communication. If the Board is right, if redevelopment isn’t feasible, if the £100m surplus is earmarked for other priorities, then tell us, communicate with the support. It may even be the difficulties outlined could even have solutions waiting in the knowledge and expertise amongst the fanbase.

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)

It is clear £100m may not cover the whole development, but a chunk of that, with volatility protection held back if required, would mean less borrowing, which in turn means a quicker return on investment.

Supporters will have their own thoughts on this, perhaps it’s even been fed back to some of you the reasons why a Main Stand redevelopment, or museum and hotel, are simply not feasible. In the absence of communication from the club, feel free to share what those reasons might be – beyond the obvious lack of ambition of course!

Niall J

Celtic in the Eighties – Out Now!…

Celtic in the Eighties by the late, great David Potter is out now on Celtic Star Books. Celtic in the Eighties is now available in the Celtic superstore and all other club shops. And don’t forget that you can still purchase your copy directly from Celticstarbooks.com for same day postage.