The Celtic Rebellion – A crazy, crazy week but also a unifying one | OneFootball

In less than a week, Celtic supporters have gone from frustration over another dreadful transfer window, on the back of yet another Champions League qualification exit, to an unprecedented show of unity that now places the board under historic pressure…

Celtic Park. 17 May 2025.. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

The first tremor came on Tuesday evening when the Affiliation of Celtic Supporters’ Clubs (ARCSC) released a statement expressing “growing concern over the club’s current trajectory and apparent lack of ambition.”

They cited the failure to strengthen ahead of Champions League qualifiers, despite robust financial results, as part of a “troubling pattern” of unpreparedness for Europe. Echoing Brendan Rodgers and Callum McGregor’s frustrations, the Affiliation demanded clarity from CEO Michael Nicholson on long-term vision, footballing ambition, and the rationale behind a transfer window many described as disarray.

This felt pretty big at the time. It was one of Celtic’s most established supporter groups publicly demanding transparency and accountability.

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

By midweek, the North Curve escalated the pressure with a coordinated campaign which grew to number some 350 supporters’ organisations, domestic and international CSCs, Ultras, The Celtic Star and other fan media in the space of just a couple of days.

Their open letter set out seven precise questions for Michael Nicholson, Chris McKay, Peter Lawwell, and Dermot Desmond.

Scottish Premiership. Wednesday 14 May 2025. The Celtic support. Aberdeen 1-5 Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

On Friday, there was a sense that momentum could fragment. The CSA and the Association of Irish Celtic Supporters’ Clubs met with the board first, followed by the Affiliation of Registered CSCs. Hopes of a united coalition wavered. Some feared the movement might fracture before it had really begun, or at least it would take more time to strengthen still further.

Then, on late on Friday night/Saturday morning The Sun ran a story quoting a ‘club insider’ which ripped into Brendan Rodgers in scarcely believable terms, and with hindsight hinted at future plans –

“What he’s said in public has torn the club apart. On and off the record discussions are creating division throughout the club. He’s the only manager in the club’s history who has repeatedly questioned things. It’s been the same board, same management and same strategy. The club have spent tens of millions. When Brendan came back, he agreed to the club’s strategy. There are now people inside the club who are deeply unhappy with his words. To make matters worse, these issues appear to be seeping into the performance of the team. It’s like Groundhog Day again.”

Celtic Park on Trophy Day. Photo The Celtic Star

There has been nothing from the club to challenge the story, so most of the support reached their own conclusion on the matter and consistently so.

Then came Celtic’s official statement, released around 9pm on Saturday night. It doubled down on the sustainability argument, accused the media of “commoditising” the transfer window, and seemingly tried to position the board’s narrative as aligned with supporter input.

The North Curve responded instantly saying – “Irrespective of the condescending and insulting content of this statement, 350+ Celtic fan entities representing tens of thousands of Celtic fans around the world have signed an open letter with 7 explicit questions – these questions, and those asking them, have been ignored.”

For many, perhaps including the CSA, the timing was telling. Issued before the CSA’s member branches had even voted, it looked like it could be construed as an attempt to co-opt supporter engagement and help dull scrutiny over the tactical weekend release.

If that was the intention, it backfired.

On Sunday, the Celtic Supporters’ Association confirmed what had seemed unthinkable days before. A formal vote of no confidence in the board. This is historic. The CSA has never taken such a step. Yet after hearing the board’s explanations, its delegates concluded the answers were not good enough, and its members voted accordingly.

It also seems the CSA will now throw its weight behind the North Curve’s campaign, joining the 350+ groups already demanding answers to the seven questions.

Tonight, the Association of Irish Celtic Supporters’ clubs have also released a statement. You can read that below:

‘On behalf of the executive committee of the Association of Irish Celtic Supporters’ Clubs, we wish to formally express our complete and utter disappointment in relation to Celtic FC’s statement of 6th September 2025.

‘While we acknowledge the dialogue held with representatives of the supporters’ associations, and while we appreciate the recognition of fans’ passion and loyalty, we remain deeply concerned about the future direction and priorities of the Club. In a somewhat patronising statement, we feel that the club completely underestimates the passion, anger and even the intelligence of the Celtic support. Defending complete underperformance in recent transfer windows with business jargon and keywords of “self-sustaining models” and “financial integrity” is just an insult to the intelligence of our support.

‘We simply don’t believe that the current strategies in place at the club will allow us to compete at the highest level. We also believe that our current approach falls short of the ambition required to achieve continued success both domestically and in Europe.

‘We fully endorse the position of all Celtic Supporters and call for clarity, open communication, and a commitment to strengthen our team, and improve the overall matchday experience for the clubs largest stakeholder, the fans.’

In just a few short days, the landscape shifted dramatically. On Tuesday the Affiliation goes public with concerns, then over the course of midweek the North Curve unites 350+ groups behind seven unanswered questions. By Friday meetings with the board bring little reassurance for the CSA, and the Affiliation, but it’s a worry the meetings went ahead instead of, and, not as well as, the supporter groups joining the North Curve signatories.

There’s a ‘club insider’ who goes nuclear on Brendan Rodgers via a tabloid newspaper on Saturday morning. Then comes Saturday night – The club statement. It sparks more anger than calm, and claims ‘constructive’ meetings with supporter groups. This however was prior to the CSA’s vote on the meeting with the club. Then, by this afternoon the CSA had issued a vote of no confidence in the Celtic Board. Showing something of a different understanding between what the CSA and the Board would consider ‘constructive’ discussions. And this evening the Association of Irish Celtic Supporters’ clubs have also made their position clear to the Celtic Board.

What began as scattered frustration at a failed transfer window has crystallised into a unified supporter movement for accountability and transparency.

Celtic supporters at Ibrox. theRangers v Celtic, 31 August 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

For the first time in years, Celtic supporters — from Ultras to international CSCs to the CSA itself are pushing in the one direction, in spite of divide and conquer tactics used and despite the CSA having never before taken the step to vote ‘No Confidence’ in the Celtic Board.

It has been, quite simply, a crazy week in Celtic. But also, a unifying one. The ground beneath the board has shifted considerably in less than seven days, and the questions are not going away.

What happens next is uncertain, but what is clear is that the playbook of silence, followed by selective engagement, and an ill-judged weekend statement is not getting results.

Celtic supporters at Tannadice. Dundee United v Celtic, 26 April 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

A support that for years has been splintered into different voices now finds itself pulling together with cohesion. The CSA’s decision to break with precedent and formally withdraw confidence has changed the landscape. The board is no longer dealing with isolated frustration, but a broad, organised movement demanding answers.

Celtic have always been strongest when club and support pull in the same direction. Right now, the gap between the boardroom and the support is wide — and it is the board, not the supporters, who will need to close it.

The starting point would be answering the seven questions – and doing so publicly.

Niall J

READ THIS…What Celtic supporters demand is realistic, intelligent spending

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)

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.

Order Celtic in the Eighties today, you’ll be glad you did, it’s a fabulous read!

OUT NOW! Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Foreword by Danny McGrain. Published on Celtic Star Books. Click on image to order.

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