Bodø/Glimt make Ross Desmond and his dad both look foolish

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The Celtic Star

·26 février 2026

Bodø/Glimt make Ross Desmond and his dad both look foolish

Bodø/Glimt yet again proving what can be achieved. Take note Ross Desmond and tell your old man that it actually can be done…

Ross Desmond at Celtic AGM. 21 November 2025.Screenshot social media

It’s been long perceived that you can’t make an impact on the European football scene, unless you spend unlimited amounts of cash.

Vidéos OneFootball

Of course to be crowned champions of Europe nowadays you need an unlimited amount of cash, but just to compete and reach the latter stages of the top level of European competition it’s often preached that you need to throw bucket loads of money to make that a reality.

Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2024 Dermot Desmond on the 18th tee during the final round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2024 on the Old Course at St. Andrews Golf CLub, Fife, . 06/10/2024. Picture Fran Caffrey / Golffile.ie

It’s a sentiment we often hear as Celtic supporters, with the conservative leadership in place at Celtic Park often using it as a cheap excuse to silence the supporters. Ross Desmond, immediately comes to mind but his views are backed by the entire Celtic board.

Here’s a reminder of what the bold Ross read out at the Celtic AGM with the message being delivered on behalf of his dad, Dermot Desmond, the largest shareholder in Celtic PLC.

Ross Desmond at Celtic AGM. 21 November 2025.Screenshot social media

“Times of challenge call for unity and understanding, as well as honest responses to reasonable questions. Yet there are those out there who seem to lie in wait for any opportunity and any small opening to stir up toxicity around the club.

“Let me start by dispensing with the absurd caricature some people spread about my father and state some of his Celtic credentials. He’s a passionate and lifelong Celtic supporter. He first put money into Celtic more than 30 years ago when Fergus McCann asked him for help. He became the principal shareholder when Fergus sold out, and he took on the responsibility that came with that. He wants the club to be healthy, successful and still thriving decades and even centuries from now.

Bodo/Glimt players celebrate in front of the fans following the team’s victory in the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Knockout Play-off Second Leg match between FC Internazionale Milano and FK Bodo/Glimt at Stadio San Siro on February 24, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“The board shares those desires, and that’s why the board respects financial reality. We act prudently, not recklessly. Those who accuse the club of hoarding cash or being in it for the money display a deep misunderstanding of financial responsibility. The board’s fiduciary duty of care is to the shareholders, to the supporters and to the future of this club. We don’t declare dividends to distribute surplus cash to ordinary shareholders as many other businesses do. Cash is retained and used to sustain and develop our club.

“As Chris (McKay) explained in the video, Celtic must maintain strong reserves and contingencies to protect against unforeseen circumstances. That financial strength is what gives us independence, stability and the ability to make our own decisions and not be beholden to anyone else.

“Those who talk about the club not having kicked on in Europe since 2003 ignore the enormous change in the financial landscape of football in that period.

“It has created a gap which keeps growing and challenges any club playing in a smaller European league. Most supporters understand that. Of course, clubs can still punch above their financial weight, and we should aspire to that. But if you swing and miss, you risk the very stability of the club, and that would be profoundly irresponsible.

Bodo/Glimt players pose for a team photograph prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Knockout Play-off Second Leg match between FC Internazionale Milano and FK Bodo/Glimt at Stadio San Siro on February 24, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“The financial independence of this club was jeopardised in the mid-1990s and we must never allow ourselves to fall into that position again. We constantly strive to improve, to become more competitive and to go deeper into Europe, and there’s no doubt we get things wrong and we make mistakes, and we try to learn from them. Our model is far from perfect, but for the most part, it has served this club well over the past 20 years.

“So we will not be bullied by aggressive or irrational factions. We will not be railroaded by those whose only vocation in life is to be anti-establishment and by those who try to degrade the club. Our focus is on what matters: improving this club step-by-step, systematically, without ever risking its future. Improving recruitment, investing in data analytics, upgrading facilities, enhancing the stadium and trying to make Celtic stronger in every way.

“Criticism and advice are welcome and the right of every supporter, but some of what we have seen recently is not constructive, it is destructive and cynical. All it does is strengthen our resolve to protect the integrity and stability of Celtic Football Club.

Bodo/Glimt players and coaching staff enter a huddle prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Knockout Play-off Second Leg match between FC Internazionale Milano and FK Bodo/Glimt at Stadio San Siro on February 24, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“Our board, led by Peter, and our executive, led by Michael, are dedicated to the Celtic people. The attempts to dehumanise and vilify them are shameful. These are people with families; they love the club every bit as much as anyone here, and when we are not performing, they suffer just as much as anyone. They work tirelessly, often under intense pressure. They do an outstanding job for this club, and we are very lucky to have them.

“Of course, we are not blind to our shortcomings. We can communicate better, we can recruit better, we can compete better, but we will do it responsibly, sustainably and always in the best interest of Celtic. Celtic was founded as a club open to all, and we have a tradition of having the greatest fans in the world. We must now protect that reputation that was created over generations.

Jens Petter Hauge of Bodo/Glimt celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammates during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Knockout Play-off Second Leg match between FC Internazionale Milano and FK Bodo/Glimt at Stadio San Siro on February 24, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“The behaviour of certain sections increasingly brings the club and its fanbase into disrepute. The incident a few weeks ago at the Falkirk match was symptomatic of wider problems. These people are bullies, and they try to hijack the good name of Celtic supporters. We cannot allow them to define who we are. I’m well aware of the target I put on my back when I say this….”

Well that myth has been well and truly rebuffed time and time again, this time by the one and only Bodø/Glimt, a side who regularly put several so called bigger clubs, including ourselves to shame.

Bodo have reached the last 16 of Europes premier competition, after beating Inter Milan over two legs. They didn’t just scrape through curtesy of a spirited and dogged performance, they comfortably swept aside the Serie A giants 5-2 winning the two legs in the play offs.

Kjetil Knutsen, Head Coach of Bodo/Glimt, looks on during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Knockout Play-off Second Leg match between FC Internazionale Milano and FK Bodo/Glimt at Stadio San Siro on February 24, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Bodo of course reached the play offs after defeating the likes of Manchester City at home and Atletico Madrid away which is a truly remarkable achievement for a club with such limited resources.

This form is not just a flash in the pan by Kjetil Knutsen’s side, they have continually pulled off a string of impressive results on the continent, and last year reached the Europa league semi finals, losing out to eventual winners Spurs.

All it takes is the right scouting, coaching and more importantly, having competent leadership within your club. This excuse that you need a bucket load of cash to compete at the top level, is yet again being disproven by the little Norwegian side.

Just an Ordinary Bhoy

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