Neil Lennon once talked about bringing back The Thunder

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The Celtic Star

·21 February 2026

Neil Lennon once talked about bringing back The Thunder

Neil Lennon once talked about bringing back The Thunder. This Celtic Board has taken it away and it’s so petty…

Celtic supporters singing YNWA ahead of the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Knockout Play-off First Leg match between Celtic FC and VfB Stuttgart at Celtic Park on February 19, 2026. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)

In response to our article last night which was titled ‘Brian Wilson’s Friday Night ‘Good Faith’ Unity Update there was a reply in the comments section from a reader who it’s fair to say is a critic of both the Celtic Fans Collective and the Green Brigade and is very much a supporter of the Celtic Board seemingly regardless of what they do or say.

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His posts are always published and there are usually plenty of replies arguing with his assessment. It’s fair to say Joe takes plenty of stick but to be fair to him he keeps coming back for more!

READ THIS…Brian Wilson’s Friday Night ‘Good Faith’ Unity Update

Celtic interim Chairman Brian Wilson looks on during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Falkirk at Celtic Park on February 01, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Joe’s latest comment on our Brian Wilson update stated: “Why aren’t you willing to see and admit, that picking and choosing the things you, the collective members like, and ignoring those you don’t is 100% NOT ever going to be the way forward?

“You pretend you want to move on with compromise. But the truth is, you don’t. You are making it very clear that you want EVERYTHING your own way, showing absolutely no interest in anything the board have to offer.

“The longer this goes on, the more obvious it is becoming, despite your best efforts at painting the picture otherwise, it is NOT the board who are the biggest obstacle here, it is the Collective.”

The Celtic Star writers in 2018

I answered Joe’s post this morning then thought it might be worth sharing this as an article so that it reaches a wider audience, as there’s a little more insight that hopefully Joe and others taking a similar position – might take on board.

Here’s my response to Joe as The Celtic Star founder and editor…oh and by the way, if you access The Celtic Star indirectly you may get faced with pop-up ads that we don’t allow on The Celtic Star. We have recently launched The Celtic Star app which you can download for FREE from your App Store and that problem disappears. You can even go ad free if you like!

Back to my response to Joe…

Neil Lennon once talked about bringing back The Thunder. This Celtic Board has taken it away and it’s so petty…

Neil Lennon ahead of the Celtic v Barcelona match in the Champions League on 7 November 2012 at Celtic Park. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

That’s complete nonsense Joe, written from a position of ignorance. If it was true and I knew it to be the case that I most certainly would be writing about it on here and calling for the collective, Green Brigade or whoever to compromise for the good of Celtic and in particular what we are facing fixture wise from here until May.

There will be significant changes at Celtic this summer, in the boardroom, the manager’s office and in the playing squad so that will be the start of a new cycle for the club – it’s happening regardless of whether there are protests or not. The Green Brigade and the Collective factually have gone into those meetings looking for an agreement as they understand the urgency of the situation from our club’s position.

Green Brigade at Livingston Photo: Andrew Milligan

A short term agreement to allow back the fans. Giving fan media access costs them nothing but losing face. Wilson admitted he didn’t even know who actually imposed the ban. I’ve repeatedly said this is less important than the other matters at hand re the Green Brigade collective punishment. The folk who were involved have already been dealt with by the courts. The rest weren’t involved but have missed half a season despite paying for their tickets.

Did that kind of thing happen in your day when you were perhaps in the Jungle? Don’t think so.

That’s ultimately all the Collective wanted – a temporary lifting of the ban with assurances provided that there will be no misbehaving and some fan media access.

The tennis balls protest was a reaction to the failure of the board to compromise on Wednesday night but the actions came not from the collective or ultras but from various supporters buses who wanted to proceed and did so.

Take off your blinkers Joe. At the top of this site I use ‘Celtic first, Celtic last and Celtic overall’ and that’s what The Celtic Star is all about.

07.11.2012 Green Brigade pre match display in action during the Champions League game between Celtic and Barcelona from Celtic Park.

I could tell you about the favours we’ve done Celtic, around the null and void issue, Dominic McKay leaving, various matters regarding the new club, the Dubai trip during covid, a stop the ten campaign etc – things Celtic wanted out there for the benefit of Celtic – and our neck went on the line, leading to a few lawyers letters with threats etc.

Of course Celtic stood behind us – a long way behind us because they ran away from it like cowards. So when they ban The Celtic Star for nothing but something a couple of podcasters said in the heat of the moment then we have to defend ourselves and point out that this has nothing to do with The Celtic Star and other outlets will be of similar mind.

The Green Brigade annoy me now and then but never when you meet them face to face. They are on the whole an asset for our club, but will do ultra things that will cause controversy and split opinion. One good thing that has come out of this is we have evidence of what Celtic Park will be like without them.

Neil Lennon once talked about bringing back The Thunder. This Celtic Board has taken it away and it’s so petty.

If Joe responds I’ll drop this into this article later on.

If you want to support The Celtic Star in what we do then why not visit our bookstore and choose a few books, like Matt Corr’s outstanding ‘Celtic in the Thirties’ in two volumes?

Celtic in the Thirties by Matt Corr. Click on image to order