Toxicity from stands certainly doesn’t help our players perform

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The Celtic Star

·6 October 2025

Toxicity from stands certainly doesn’t help our players perform

Toxicity from stands certainly doesn’t help…We’ll get more from the players if we actually spend the matches doing what we are famous for and that is backing the team…

The Celtic team comes together at the final whistle during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Motherwell FC at Celtic Park, on 5th October 2025. (Picture by Mark Runnacles Shutterstock)

The Celtic support are on the whole a fantastic group of supporters, that has to be said, but sometimes we are guilty of venting our fury when things aren’t going our way on the park, something that was pretty evident in yesterday’s 3-2 win over Motherwell.

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I’m not talking about the criticism aimed at the board as that is more than justified, but some of the abuse hurled at the players is quite frankly uncalled for, and can only be described as toxic.

Daizen Maeda of Celtic scores a late goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Motherwell FC at Celtic Park, on 5th October 2025. Photo Mark Runnacles IMAGO/Shutterstock

For most of the game yesterday there was more than a few heckles coming from the stands, and it somewhat spooked the players, with even the most experienced ones like Callum McGregor and Kasper Schmeichel looking a little rattled at stages. Daizen Maeda’s English might not be up to much but even he would have been getting the message as he struggled out on that right wing.

Yes, we pay our money and are allowed to vent our thoughts if and when we want, but within reason and yesterday more than a few took that to the extreme.

To be fair the overwhelming majority of the support still threw their backing behind the players, even when we were trailing, but there’s still that ever so noticeable toxicity in the air, and that doesn’t help our cause in the slightest.

Celtic Manager Brendan Rodgers during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Motherwell FC at Celtic Park, on 5th October 2025. Photo Mark Runnacles IMAGO/Shutterstock

Yesterday was Brendan Rodgers’ 200th win as Celtic manager, he deserved more respect than he’s given sometimes. Callum McGregor and James Forrest have record levels of winners medals between them yet they too have had to endure periods of verbals from elements of our support.

Daizen Maeda was magnificent least season and before his real purple patch got going asked for a move to give him one last big contract in European football before taking his family back to Japan. That was always the deal with Celtic, sign, develop, sell-on.

Due to problems at the club relating to the conduct of transfer business this summer, Daizen was denied the move he was promised and had to stay at Celtic before being moved to the right wing where he is at his least effective. If anyone should be moaning it should be him!

Yet he was the hero and the player who has lifted to mood going into the international break. Yet all afternoon he was taking stick from some of our supporters with the shortest of memories.

Those three words I spoke about last week…BACK THE TEAM.

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Celtic

Toxicity from stands certainly doesn’t help our players perform | OneFootball

Toxicity from stands certainly doesn’t help our players perform

Toxicity from stands certainly doesn’t help…We’ll get more from the players if we actually spend the matches doing what we are famous for and that is backing the team…

OneFootball Videos

Celtic

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