‘Deafening Silence’ only the beginning, only Celtic can end protests

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The Celtic Star

·29 settembre 2025

‘Deafening Silence’ only the beginning, only Celtic can end protests

Celtic Park is rarely as quiet as it was for the opening 12 minutes of Saturday’s goalless draw with Hibs…

Your Silence is Deafening banner in the North Curve. Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 27 September 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace IMAGO Shutterstock

Our club’s support is renowned for its volume as much as its passion, yet on this occasion a different sound emerged, the sound of silence. This was not apathy, although that would be understandable, but instead a deliberate, organised quiet intended to speak louder than any chant or song.

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The new Celtic Fans Collective (CFC) is barely a month old, yet it already wields remarkable influence. In just two meetings, it has united more than 400 fan groups into a network capable of swift and coordinated action. That’s no mean feat.

Celtic fan protest at Rugby Park Kilmarnock v Celtic, 14 September 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Its first move was a 12-minute delayed entry at Rugby Park to signify the ‘missing 12th man,’ followed by banners and chants at a second protest accusing the board of mismanagement and highlighting repeated European qualification failures. Both demonstrations earned national headlines and aimed to push the club hierarchy toward meaningful dialogue.

Partick Thistle v Celtic. Premier Sports League Cup. Sunday 21 September. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

In the absence of such dialogue, the third act has been more striking still. Against Hibs, CFC called for 12 minutes of total silence inside Celtic Park. The plan is to escalate further, an extended silence is proposed for Thursday’s Europa League tie with Braga, with an even longer hush possible for the weekend visit of Motherwell.

The group has made clear that these actions will stop only if the Celtic board responds to the seven questions set out in an open letter on 3 September. These questions cover transfer policy, European strategy, governance, and accountability.

At their heart is a demand for transparency, covering who makes key decisions, why healthy finances have not translated into a stronger squad, and if repeated Champions League failures are down to a failing strategy, and whether the club even recognises those strategic missteps.

Celtic fan protest. Partick Thistle v Celtic. Premier Sports League Cup. Sunday 21 September. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

To some, silence may seem a curious weapon for football fans. Some argue the team should be backed vocally from the first whistle, believing noise unsettles the board more than quiet reflection. Others simply want the players encouraged, not distracted. They are all arguments with merit.

Yet silence carries its own shock value. Celtic Park is synonymous the world over for noise, so its sudden absence is designed to be jarring. A stadium famed for deafening European nights falling eerily quiet draws cameras, sparks social-media debate and guarantees headlines. That contrast is the point.

Silence is also difficult to dismiss. Chants can be drowned out by the club’s PA or written off as a noisy minority. But when an entire stadium sits deliberately mute, after publicising the plan, it becomes difficult to ignore.

Your Silence is Deafening banner in the North Curve. Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 27 September 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace IMAGO Shutterstock

The tactic also contains built-in escalation. Each silent period grows longer, signalling rising urgency. If the board remains mute, Celtic Fans Collective can extend the quiet further or pivot to new tactics entirely.

The deeper symbolism is also clear, the awkward hush in the stands mirrors the more troubling silence in the boardroom. The collective’s message is that the real void lies not in the stands but in the club’s leadership.

The rapid rise of the Celtic Fans Collective is itself revealing. Celtic supporters are famously diverse, yet more than 400 groups have united within weeks, evidence of deep dissatisfaction and the organisational power of modern fan networks. The group is structured for a long game, and for long-term influence, with sub-committees examining governance, commercial relationships and sponsorship deals, pressure points that reach far beyond ninety minutes on the pitch.

Celtic fans have forced change before, from the campaigns of the 1990s to protests over the mooted appointment of Bernard Higgins in 2021. This time silence is the chosen tool, proof that absence of sound can be as disruptive as any roar of disapproval.

Celtic Chief Executive Michael Nicholson sits in the directors box with Celtic s Chief Financial Officer Christopher McKay to his right. Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 27 September 2025. Photo: Stuart Wallace. IMAGO/Shutterstock

The strategy is of course not without risk. If too many supporters break the quiet, the visual impact fades. If results dip, critics may well blame the atmosphere. And if the board simply refuses to engage, some may question whether silence was enough. Protest movements rely on momentum, if the board calls the bluff, the Celtic Fans Collective must be ready with fresh tactics.

For now however the ball is squarely in the board’s court. The seven questions posed are not radical demands, merely requests for clarity and respect. Opening dialogue would not weaken the board, it would show appreciation for the supporters whose money and passion fill the coffers and the stands.

If executives choose to remain silent, they should not be surprised when protests grow louder, and more diverse. The ‘Sound of Silence’ is only the beginning.

Niall J

Continues on the next page…

Danny McGrain, David Potter & Willie Fernie – what a combination!

Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Out now, order your copy at Celticstarbooks.com

We’re certainly Putting on the Style with the new promotion from Celtic Star Books. David Potter’s final book – Celtic in the Eighties – has been selling wonderfully well since its launch earlier this month. It is by far our fastest-ever seller. Order one of the last remaining copies of Celtic in the Eighties and Danny McGrain will sign it for you PLUS you’ll receive a copy of David Potter’s wonderful book on Willie Fernie as a free gift.

Celtic in the Eighties and Willie Fernie – Putting on the Style both by David Potter. Photo The Celtic Star

Danny McGrain has now agreed to sign the final batch of Celtic in the Eighties. Ordering is simple, just place your order for Celtic in the Eighties at celticstarbooks.com/shop and we’ll do the rest, ensuring your copy is signed by Danny and a complimentary Willie Fernie book dispatched by the next working day, whilst stocks last, from Wednesday of this week (Danny is signing the books on Tuesday evening).

Celtic 3-0 St Mirren, Scottish Premier League, Celtic Park, 15 May 1982.Celtic captain Danny McGrain collects the championship trophy as Roy Aitken looks on. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Danny McGrain signing copies of Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Photo: Celtic Star Books

Please note that stocks are now running very low indeed and the book will NOT be reprinted. Click on the image below to order. Please note that postage will only be charged on ONE book.

Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Out now on Celtic Star Books. Click on image above to order.