Celtic FC Chairman Calls For Unity After Europa League Disruption

Celtic Interim Chairman Brian Wilson has called for unity and an end to internal conflict following disruption during the club’s Europa League fixture against VfB Stuttgart at Celtic Park on Thursday night.

In a statement released after the match, Wilson described the events as “deeply disappointing,” confirming that the game was delayed due to what he characterised as an orchestrated disruption inside the stadium.

The chairman revealed that in the past fortnight he has held a series of meetings with supporter organisations and individual fans in an effort to ease tensions. These discussions included talks with representatives of the Green Brigade and the Celtic Fans Collective.

“I have met in good faith with representatives of the Green Brigade and was hopeful that progress could have been made; indeed this remains the case,” Wilson said. “I also met in good faith with representatives of the Celtic Fans Collective.”

Wilson explained that upon taking up his interim role, he had appealed for unity within the stadium to ensure the team received full backing during a crucial stage of the season. While expressing a desire to see suspensions lifted and divisions resolved, he stressed that any reconciliation could not come without conditions.

“I want to see suspensions lifted and differences set aside, but this cannot be unconditional,” he said. “Last night’s disruption and the reasoning behind it illustrate the difficulty we face and have repeatedly had to contend with.”

The chairman acknowledged that broader issues affecting the club remain recognised but warned that the prospect of further disruptions must be addressed as a matter of urgency. He emphasised that the priority should be supporting the team and manager Martin in their pursuit of objectives for the remainder of the campaign.

“Surely the priority must be to give Martin and our players every opportunity to achieve their objectives within the remainder of the season,” Wilson added.

Concluding his statement, Wilson vowed to continue efforts to bring an end to what he described as a “debilitating and unnecessary atmosphere of conflict” surrounding the club.

The incident casts a shadow over an important European night in Glasgow, with the focus now shifting to whether ongoing dialogue between the club and its supporters can restore stability at Celtic Park in the weeks ahead.

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