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Celtic’s annual general meeting descended into chaos on Friday, ultimately being abandoned after sustained protests from shareholders and a tense exchange involving director Ross Desmond, who accused sections of the fanbase of being “bullies”.
The gathering at Celtic Park unravelled almost immediately. Within minutes of proceedings opening in the Kerrydale Suite, loud chants of “sack the board” forced chairman Peter Lawwell to suspend the AGM for half an hour. When business resumed, attempts to move through the agenda were repeatedly drowned out as videos played on the big screens and shareholders demanded to begin the question-and-answer session instead.
Directors arriving for the meeting were met with boos, red cards held aloft and chants of “out, out, out”. Interim manager Martin O’Neill received the only warm reception of the morning, while many fans walked out during the break and returned only when a Q&A seemed imminent.
But the AGM never made it that far. Once the adjourned session reconvened, Ross Desmond rose to deliver a statement on behalf of himself and his father Dermot, the club’s largest shareholder, who was not present. He began by defending his father as a “lifelong and passionate” Celtic supporter and insisted the board would not be “bullied by aggressive and irrational” voices.
Desmond went on to accuse critics of creating a toxic atmosphere around the club. He said: “The attempts to dehumanise and vilify them are shameful,” referring to Lawwell and chief executive Michael Nicholson, whom he described as “dedicated Celtic people”. He added that “those people are bullies” when referencing a recent flashpoint involving supporters that led to the Green Brigade being banned.
Amid rising jeers and further disruption, Desmond was unable to finish the statement. Lawwell swiftly brought the AGM to an end, with the club later confirming that a poll on the formal resolutions had still been called and would be counted by registrar Computershare.
In a statement released shortly after the aborted meeting, Celtic said: “Such conduct is completely unacceptable and hugely disappointing. And, while today's events are completely outwith our control, clearly we regret the impact on our shareholders who were deprived of the opportunity to take part in an orderly and constructive meeting.” A separate update echoed the sentiment: “Regrettably, due to the continuing disruptive conduct of a small number of individuals preventing the orderly management of today's AGM, we were required to conclude the meeting earlier than we had planned.”
Shareholders unhappy with the direction of the club have been increasingly vocal in recent months, citing the champions’ summer recruitment, their failure to qualify for the Champions League, and a seven-point deficit to surprise league leaders Hearts. The continued delay in appointing a permanent successor to Brendan Rodgers—who resigned last month and was criticised by Dermot Desmond on the club website—has intensified the scrutiny. O'Neill, appointed caretaker, later described the morning’s scenes as troubling. “I thought it was a really sad, sad morning, really sad morning,” he said. “I just wonder what the great Jock Stein would have thought of it all, who preached unity at the football club, said that a club not united would never be successful.”
Fans had hoped to question the board and air concerns directly, but the disruption meant no such session took place. Celtic reiterated that shareholders could still raise questions through the investor relations department: “Should any shareholders wish to raise a question, they can do so by contacting our investor relations department and we will endeavour to respond to any queries.”
The turmoil at the AGM has only highlighted the wider frustration surrounding the club, with the prolonged managerial search and on-field struggles fuelling tension. Among potential candidates, Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy is seen as a leading contender, though the delay in an appointment remains a key source of discontent.
Featured Image Credit: Pixabay / jorono
