Last night the Celtic Rebellion officially started, it’s aim is to force change | OneFootball

I hear that the Celtic Supporters meeting last was lively and provided a roadmap for the fans to unite and there was a real determination in air to force change at the club. The first tangible sign of that will probably be seen on television screens this weekend…

Celtic supporters doing the Huddle at Tannadice as they celebrate the title win. Celtic Champions 2025. Dundee United v Celtic, 26 April 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star).

Our editor was at the meeting which was packed, with loads of supporters clubs present, plus the three associations represented – the Celtic Supporters Association, the Affiliation of Registered Celtic Supporters Clubs and the Association of Irish Celtic Supporters Clubs whose representative told the meeting that he was at the meeting with the Board last Friday and he asked Michael Nicholson about ambition and strategy and specially about the hotel, museum – pointing out that even theRangers had one – and the redevelopment of the Main Stand.

The answers were of course all negative, nothing happening on any of these projects – ever, unless Celtic leave the SPFL (which presumably is not happening anytime soon).

Celtic supporters shows their support at full-time following the team’s victory in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Semi Final match between St Johnstone and Celtic at Hampden Park on April 20, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Ultras groups Bhoys Celtic and The Green Brigade were also present and both organisations I’m told spoke very well indeed.

Many fan media sites were present including The Celtic Star, The Celtic Blog, Celtic Exchange, RGC podcast, Celtic Underground, Not the View fanzine, Celts Are Here and ACSOM and it was acknowledged from the chair that this is something that has not been available to the collective support previously but is now very powerful and capable of delivering the message across the fanbase in sites like this one and others too plus in podcasts and YouTube video channels.

It’s actually all about modernisation, then the C word. Communication

It’s actually all about modernisation, then the C word. Communication. Something that the Celtic fan media is better at than the club itself, and that is no reflection on the staff working there, more to do with the restrictions placed upon them by the Board.

The Celtic Board. Celtic Champions 2025. Dundee United v Celtic, 26 April 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star).

The reason this has grown arms and legs is, yes, the absolute idiocy of late by the Celtic Board, but also the lack of regular communication, and a peak behind the curtain from that Saturday night statement that shows Celtic are miles off being a serious player.

In this day and age the world is connected. The football world has moved on. If Dermot Desmond is still calling the shots it won’t work, three year plan or not.

Celtic’s football strategy is non-existent

Celtic’s football strategy is non-existent, or the work of one old man who harks back to Roy Keane tackles and David Moyes as a trailblazer.

NED’s – (non-executive directors) too male, too old, too insular. Diversification. Young uns with modern business approaches in amongst a few old heads who know the course and distance. Cut out the (St Als) masonic school tie approach.

Celtic v Kilmarnock – The Celtic board after the match on Saturday February 17, 2024. Photo Andrew Milligan

Stop doing everything on the cheap

Stop doing everything on the cheap. We can’t afford top quality players, but we can attract the best in class for support staff. Last year we advertised for an analyst. Sturm Graz were advertising on the same site, same/similar job paying nearly £15k more. Pay peanuts and all that.

Academy needs gutted of staff, the Motherwell crew. Been there too long and not producing anything.

The teams come out, Celtic FC Women v theRangers Women, SWPL, Sunday 7 September 2025. Photo AJ (The Celtic Star)

The Women’s team is underfunded

The Women’s team is underfunded, under staffed and going backwards, lost again to theRangers Women at the weekend, and that’s what eight games on the bounce without a Glasgow Derby win for the team that finished fourth in a three horse race last season. That’s totally unacceptable, but understandable when you consider that Celtic had the fourth biggest budget, despite collecting £400k (a massive sum in the women’s game in Scotland) for reaching the Group stages of the Women’s Champions League. In case you missed it at the time, Hibs Women won the league.

Celtic Park. Celtic v Livingston, 23 August 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

The football department needs a ring fenced budget and professionals running it

The football department needs a ring fenced budget and professionals running it, preferably with a DOF (Director of Football) – left to their success or failure by KPI’s with Champions League a non-negotiable. And non-football people – lawyers and accountants, and pro-am golfers miles away, because we are in competition with serious players now, and we are behind in every metric.

A new media strategy is necessary

A five year plan with quarterly updates via Celtic TV or Fan media outlets by a director of football, the CEO, Coaches, Recruitment heads etc. That will help the fan media content and keep fans fully engaged. Then regular press conferences or ‘how we do things’ on Celtic TV, by staff other than the manager. Letting fans see under the bonnet. Controlled or not it doesn’t matter. Let the fans see what is happening. Open channels fans can communicate their own ideas, we have some bright young things in our support. Inclusive as possible but you can still do it at arms length.

Celtic Park. Celtic v Livingston, 23 August 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Hands up when things go wrong and communicate where it did and what will be done to fix it. That will go a long way.

My worry is the trust is gone and we look unprofessional now

My worry is the trust is gone and we look unprofessional now. Like one step ahead of the Ibrox club is enough. The new generation do not think like that. Europe is the only show in town. Prepare to succeed in European and domestic success will follow along regardless.

If Celtic are sitting waiting developments, as they would normally do, and hope that the fans will end up divided, arguing amongst themselves and divided then that is the wrong approach. The club have to come forward and look towards re-building trust and unity and that is going to take them accepting that they’ve got things badly wrong and that the club needs modernising.

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)

The Celtic Rebellion has officially started

There was a strong message from the floor that the team and the manager must be backed throughout all of this as we will see at Rugby Park this weekend.

The Celtic Rebellion has officially started and it’s going to be a force to be reckoned with for the current Board and a positive force for change for OUR club.

Niall J

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