As a Celtic fan, what are YOUR expectations for the club? Are they being met?
Eric Knott 
I’ve been a Celtic fan for a long time now.
And during that time, I’ve seen it all.
Highs, lows, and everything in between.
Following Celtic is like an unconditional love, no matter what happens, you will always remain loyal to your first true love.
For most Celtic fans, the club was their first love, long before they ever entered into relationships of any kind.
Simply because, when it’s generational, it’s introduced to you at a very young age.
I had been a Celtic fan for almost 20 years before I met my wife.
She will testify to the fact that we have fallen out over my love of Celtic many times.
She has often said to me that I love Celtic more than her.
While sometimes, that may be hard to argue against, in reality, it’s a different kind of love.
Because no matter how much Celtic drives you around the bend, you will never walk away from it.
We subject ourselves to a hell of a lot of self flagellation when it comes to Celtic.
No matter how much pain supporting this club inflicts on us, we still come back for more.
This is part of the reason we endure this constant status quo the board enforces on the club.
We accept the way they keep the club in a constant motionless state.
Never moving forward.
But also never moving backwards.
I suppose this is why the board could be classed as reactive, rather than pro-active.
Because despite the fact we never move forward, whenever we do start to drift backwards, it’s only then that they react.
But it’s only in small increments.
Slight adjustments, to push us back into stasis.
To maintain the status quo.
Sometimes, events out-with the board’s control cause drastic changes to happen.
2020 is a perfect example of that.
As I alluded to in a recent article, Covid-19 enforced changes upon the club which never would have happened under normal circumstances.
Peter Lawwell resigned.
A new manager came in, who had control over the footballing operation, called the shots when it came to player acquisitions.
A new, forward thinking C.E.O. came in, and started to introduce new and innovative ideas, and new strategies.
But as with many new regimes, in many walks of life, this one was destined for failure.
Power and endurance are what keep most regimes in place.
That, and a complete unwillingness to let go of the feeling of control that intoxicates you on a daily basis.
New, and forward thinking people will scare those who have been in control for many years.
Control freaks are loathe to cede control to anyone, even after they’ve left the building.
When they have spent decades being the one in control, it becomes an addiction.
Letting go of it is like entering cold turkey.
Step forward one Peter Lawwell.
Who, let’s be honest, never really let go of his control over Celtic football club when he supposedly “resigned”.
A man who was so deeply ingrained within the walls of Celtic Park for decades, despite his absence in 2021, had eyes, and ears everywhere.
If you think otherwise, then you are extremely naive.
If you think he did not play a part in the removal of Dom McKay, then think again.
When McKay came in, he scared the living shit out of everyone at Celtic Park as a result of his fresh and forward thinking, along with his new ideas.
I would bet my bottom dollar one of the most frequently heard answers he heard to many of his questions would have been, “Well, Peter wouldn’t have done it that way.” or “Peter never did it that way.”
Put simply, Dom McKay upset the status quo.
72 days after he commenced his role, he was gone.
Due to “a non-disclosure agreement”, we will never truly know why.
Dom McKay was not a cog that fit into the Celtic machine.
Nor, let’s be honest about it, was Ange Postecoglou.
But I think Ange Postecoglou saw the writing on the wall long before he was ever dragged into enforced mediocrity.
He saw it coming.
Which made the Tottenham job all the more appealing when it came his way.
I think it’s fair to say Ange Postecoglou had well and truly checked out of the building when his side lost in haphazard fashion to Hibs on the 24th of May.
He knew after that 4-2 defeat, that all he had to do was win the Scottish Cup, and his legacy was secure.
He could walk away with his head held high.
And he did just that, leaving the Manager’s office door ajar for what he knew was the next poor victim to take the role.
Step forward Brendan Rodgers.
In last night’s article, I went into detail on what he has had to endure since his arrival last June.
Some think I’m jumping the gun with my assumptions, but that remains to be seen.
This transfer window has opened a lot of eyes, to a lot of things.
How it ends at 11.30pm this evening will dictate the mood of the fans going forward.
But as always, if we keep on winning, that will bring a feel good factor.
And the board will hide behind that feel good factor, like they always do.
Just as they did when we beat the Ibrox side in late December.
Results paper over the cracks, but that’s all they do.
The problems at Celtic go right down to the foundations.
Which brings me right back to my opening headline; as a Celtic fan, what are your expectations for the club?
Are you happy for us to just dominate Scottish football, domination which looks like it’s about to be challenged right now, or do you want more for your club?
There are three factions at Celtic at the moment.
The pro-board/pro-Lawwell fanbase.
The anti-board/anti-Lawwell fanbase.
And then there are those in between, who just enjoy supporting Celtic, and never wish to rock the boat.
The anti-board/anti-Lawwell fanbase comprises of fans like myself, who have been around for a long time.
We’ve been through it all, the good, the bad, the ugly, and everything in between.
We remember the toughest of times.
The piss smelling jungle, with only 17,000 fans in attendance, when the club was at rock bottom.
Under the deep, dark shadow, cast over us by Ibrox, and David Murray’s buddies at Bank of Scotland.
We remember the 80’s, the most competitive decade in Scottish football in recent memory.
The last time a club outside the Glasgow duopoly won a title, and many more contended for those titles.
We remember when Fergus McCann rescued us, and the ensuing years, where it took time to put us into a position of strength.
We remember that during that time, we had to watch our greatest rivals win the league on our patch, and then proceed to rub it in our faces.
Knowing full well that Hugh Dallas was the reason they won it.
We’ve been through it all.
And ultimately, all we’ve ever wanted is the best for this club.
Today, we see that our club is now in a position to dominate, but it angers us that our board will not force home that advantage.
It angers us that our board refuses to speculate to accumulate.
Refuses to spend over £3 million on a player.
Tells us we cannot compete in Europe.
Yet a club that is constantly on it’s knees financially, with barely a pot to piss in, could make it to a European final just two years ago.
And is still in Europe this season, but we’re not.
Because the board’s strategy, which is solely designed to keep us in stasis, stifles any chance we have of being more than the sum of our parts.
It’s that strategy that angers us, frustrates us.
We consistently see clubs with far smaller budgets than ours punching way above their weight in European competition.
We deploy a transfer strategy that is scatter gun, hit and miss, and only rarely produces a gem which nets us a big return.
Returns that we never re-invest in the playing squad.
Our board constantly brings players to the club who never make the grade, and costs us millions in wasted transfer fees, and wages.
I could go on, and on, and on.
But I don’t have all night, and neither do you.
So I’ll cut to the chase.
I asked at the outset of this article, what are your expectations for this club?
Here are mine.
I want a young, fresh, forward thinking, and engaged boardroom.
I would like for those on the board to speculate to accumulate when it comes to player trading.
I would like them to have the ambition, and the belief that this club can do better.
Will do better.
I want them to believe that we can compete in Europe, and that our club should be making it to European finals.
If the other mob can do it on fumes, then why can’t we?
I want them, more than anything else, to forget about O** F*** Inc.
The whole bloody fanbase has forgotten about it, so why can’t they?
And finally, I would like them to put the Ibrox side down, and keep them down.
Instead of relying on the £3.5 million in prize money a treble in Scotland delivers and the revenue two home games against them generates, start realising that Europe delivers much, much more revenue.
Allow this club to realise it’s bloody potential, that’s all I want!
Without being labelled as entitled, just because I want the best for the club I support.
We have men in power at this club who have been in place for almost the entirety of this century.
The entirety of this century, a quarter of which will have passed by this time next year.
Think about that.
Then find me another club that has kept the same people in charge for that length of time.
The men in charge of our club are old age pensioners.
Dermot Desmond is 73.
Peter Lawwell is 64, he will be a pensioner in less than 2 year’s time.
Thomas Allison is 76.
Brian Wilson is also 76.
These are the main men in charge of our club.
The grey men.
Out of touch, and untouchable.
Happy to reap the rewards, and the comforts that Celtic affords them.
All while pissing on us, the fans, from a height.
They don’t care about what I want, or what you want.
It’s all about what they want.
That’s why this club will never go anywhere under them.
Why would you not want change at Celtic?
Or are you happy to be stuck with the chairman for life, Peter Lawwell?
The man who does the bidding of Dermot Desmond.
But then you resign yourself to defeat, because you think there’s nothing you can do.
Getting this board out is an almost impossible task.
They hold all the power, all the cards.
We the fans, would have to hurt Celtic detrimentally in order to force change, and get them to leave.
Most of you don’t have the stomach for that.
You feel powerless, helpless.
Frustration beyond belief.
Your frustration boils over to booing the team when performances are poor.
But what have boos ever achieved?
I know what I want for this club, but I know at this moment it time, it’s an impossibility.
Like I said, they hold all the cards.
This is what the love of Celtic does to you, drives you mad.
Frustrates you.
Drives you round the twist.
But you’ll wake up tomorrow morning, and you’ll still love Celtic, no matter what.
No matter how much it hurts you, and frustrates you.
Change can only happen if we, the fanbase, become a united front.
Right now, we are not united.
If we can change that, then that’s a starting point.
But change has to start there.
We do that much, and we can begin.
But after that, there is a long, long way to go.
Change begins with us, the fans.
So let’s begin with that, and see where it takes us?
Aodhán Ó Conchobhair 
Totally agree with everything you say. The biscuit tin scenario will never go under this current Board. Time for a clear out and bring in younger men who desire is for us to be a force in Europe again, not be afraid to splash the cash. If Rodgers had any sense he’d pack his bags and go…again.
We have too get rid of that board to go forward and the only way to do it is by not funding their egos.
2 wonderful Lawwell free years under big Ange 5 trophy great signings Kyogo Jota Hatate ORiley Abada, then Ange goes and it’s flag day at start of season ,new manager new signings but a dark shadow cast over what should have been a celebration, step forward Darth vader Lawwell to unfurl the league flag. 6 months on we’re back to the dark days of Ajeti and Barkas and loan deals on last day that are no better and some cases worse than bhoys we’ve let go , I hate lawwell he runs celtic like his family business, in 94 we’ve got rid of the Kelly’s and whites for doing this now history repeating its self . Celtic is a football team and as such it’s profits should go to rebuilding the team , lawwell has become a very rich man in his role on the celtic board he has made more money than any player we’ve ever had , the winners of this seasons league will go automatically into champions league group stage with figures of 60 million being quoted as we stand now the sevco are a serious challenge to us and are not going away without a fight we must match them with our own ambitions, I’d we lose this league to them thus season it will be as bad if not worse that the ten in a row year cause if they get 60 million you can bet they will spend it on strengthening there team to make sure they stay ahead of us and that’s my biggest fear
Couldn’t agree more. Nailed it.
The present Celtic board have no vision or aspirations for the club .
Going nowhere in Europe every year ,after year .
The Fans deserve more.
It’s time now to show this board. Only why show them is hitting them were it hurts and I don’t mean the baws. In the pockets. We need to show our utter disgrace at them not getting player that we need and quality. It’s time for all to boycott the next home game and stand together outside the stadium and leave then inside themselfs
He doesn’t want a one horse race in Scottish football, and there are too many of the handshake brigade in charge at Celtic and has been for the last 30 years. Fact
Liewell is a cvnt
Agree with all comments the board will never go that extra few yards to get us to the next level like Martin O’Neils side getting to a uefa cup final and not investing in a few more quality players to get to the next level
Agree 100% this board as you say have no intention to allow us to try and compete at a higher level. Ever since lawell came in its been about cutting costs all the while taking as much profits as possible. He is a leach who’s milked millions and millions out the club. They pay themselves premiership wages but pay the players wages of the third tier of English football. I also believe dom mckay was a force for good who could see the bigger picture and how big celtic SHOULD be.
I have never hidden my feelings on Lawless(a man who does what he likes) he should be nowhere near our club neither should his boy. The utter contempt the board showed towards the fans at the agm should have been raising red flags amongst the support. I agree totally with your views and with a bit of luck maybe this dismal transfer window will start opening the eyes of other supporters.
My expectations since Lawwell returned, have certainly been met. In football, if you stand still, you are going backwards. It is up to the supporters in the Main Stand in particular, to let Porky Pete and the Parasites know exactly what we think of them. A bunch of Huns with no love for Celtic Football Club.
Hail Hail.
I’m now wondering if bringing Brendan back was okay what Ange built he seems to be taking it apart, from being enjoyable to be dull and boring and not bringing in the recruitment required for Celtic, very disappointing
Boycotting games plays into the hands of The rangers who will have a field day at our expense, it’s no wonder the return of the self proclaimed king ,Peter lawwell has put the club back years , he’s back like a bad Smell after the success Ange brought with his absence, it’s no surprise he returns like nothing happened after he personally costing us 10 in a row, do you honestly think he’d have approached hibs for Neil Lennon and paid compensation,
no , cheap option. back pulling the strings at all levels , interference and agenda with Brendan Rogers for walking the first time .
Lawwell has to go and quickly as his involvement in everything that does not concern him is destroying celtic, the enemy within , the ego has landed has to be removed asap, a clearing of the board is long overdue
Excellent piece again Eric, but let me point out two things. The Rangers would not be in Europe now if they had been in the Champions League but admittedly would have been a bit richer.
Them been in a EUFA cup final was 100% pure luck, they qualified on 7 points while Celtic failed with 9 points. Like I said 100% luck.
Yes some supporters are… from the terraces, social media and so called fan news the amount of negativity and moaning from a selection is relentless. Celtic supporters domestically have been spoilt. We then have all the social media analysts who think they know more about players than the Celtic manager (was refreshing to here him state that he takes more face to face than what analytic numbers state). Celtic are not in a bad way yet supporters who complain about SMSM seem to forever get coerced my the same SMSM. Since November its been all negativity from the press ‘Celtic in turmoil’ ‘We’re doomed’ Then we win the Derby and with six wins on the bounce and only 1 goal conceded. Yes we have stumbled over the line at times but not all wins are classy. Celtic were never going to win the league comfortably ever time or every game, some times its going to be hard. The Rangers were always going to get stronger (they still have their financial issues but were always going to improve). Celtic supporters cannot handle having a battle.
Supports also only hear parts of comments they want to hear and disregard the rest as do the press. Chris Sutton I have no issue with him but he says stuff to get the most possible reaction and supporters buy into that (Hugh Keevans is a master of it) its his jobs he gets paid per hits. Which leads me to this transfer window before the window Brendan Rodger stated he wants quality added to the squad and it trimmed down (now here’s the bit people seemed to ignore) “Over the next two windows”. Never has the Winter Window been the time that major and permanent transfers are done. We did however sign one permanent player who seems a decent acquisition. We got a loan player in who fit what we need height, speed and power (ok goal scoring of late looks not the greatest) however lets not judge either until they’ve had a chance to prove themselves.
We tried various Left backs but that never got off (most teams reluctant to sell this window). Lagerbielke’s loan was stopped due to the fact no LB arrived Bernabei Liam Scales can play there so we need cover in CB to make sure we are not short at the back. Mitchel Frame is also regarded as a promising player and plays LB. Rocco Vata and Daniel Kelly hopefully get more chances on the bench following Mikey Johnston and David Turnbull’s departures. We also signed CCV on a new contract, hopefully Rocco too. Keeping our players just as important as signing new players and we have done that but that’s ignored and most top player contracted for a few years. We need more home talent also as out European Squad size is getting smaller every year.
Its good the transfer is over and regardless of supporters hatred of the board, manager, transfer business or whatever NEED to back the team. The atmosphere is toxic at times and you would think Celtic are mid table and not actually top of the league with destiny in there own hands.
If the support dont back the team then the task is harder.
I actually laugh at these articles. You would think Celtic were actually The Rangers the way you act.
The fact is you have no clue about how to run a football club and criticise one the the best run football clubs in the world.
Regarding going somewhere getting Brendan Rodgers in and it was stated from BR he wants to be more a force in Europe ‘but that takes time’. You do not build a squad over night. As I mentioned in my previous comment part of that is keeping your best players (having them on big contracts) that has been achieved. The manager now knows his side and he know what he needs and lets go back to the other main comment ‘Over The next two windows’ now if Celtic do not get the quality required in the summer window then by all means go ahead burn the Ivory Towers. All is so far still within the time frame the manager has set.
Family dynasties and nepotism is what drove Celtic to near oblivion in 1994. And while the club today is not in any mortal danger, it’s exactly the same nepotism that threatens our future prosperity.
Chanting “Lawwell GTF” only when the team is losing isn’t enough. An organized movement is now required. A 2024 version of ‘Celts for Change’. A complete change of ownership and an entirely new board put in place is what I believe is required.
JimtheTim
says:
2nd February 2024 at 9:41 am
I actually laugh at these articles. You would think Celtic were actually The Rangers the way you act.
The fact is you have no clue about how to run a football club and criticise one the the best run football clubs in the world.
Regarding going somewhere getting Brendan Rodgers in and it was stated from BR he wants to be more a force in Europe ‘but that takes time’. You do not build a squad over night. As I mentioned in my previous comment part of that is keeping your best players (having them on big contracts) that has been achieved. The manager now knows his side and he know what he needs and lets go back to the other main comment ‘Over The next two windows’ now if Celtic do not get the quality required in the summer window then by all means go ahead burn the Ivory Towers. All is so far still within the time frame the manager has set.
————
You are either at the wind up or seriously deluded.
‘..one the the best run football clubs in the world..’ ?
Did you type that with a straight face?
Nepotism run wild and 1 win in our last 14 European matches where we are really judged.
I that’s well run then i’d hate to see it badly run.
No one is laughing bar the teams who wish/hope for Celtic prior their European competition draw.
My brief Summary for Resolution
I am also a long-time Celtic fan – seen it all.
* Loyalty as a fan does not require unconditional surrender. ‘Love’ is a blanket cover word with no precise meaning.
* Fanaticism or genuflection to any club is not pragmatism,which is needed in today’s world. Why? Because of the enormous amount of idiotic fumes sprayed by dumb opinion. Patience is not applicable here.
* Speaking as a Celt,pushing 85 years of age, I have also seen the good, bad and ugly. You might think I disagree with your assessment of the current situation, but I don’t. I actually agree with most of it,as detailed as you reference it.
* Yes! Get this awful, cushion-loving Board out and replace it with youthful minds that are not totally immersed in financial profit – Full Stop!
* Finding a solution is not difficult to achieve. Level headed supporters should vote with their feet. Only a practical message will work to make the Board wake up to reality.
* A hard-nosed message can only be delivered by a boycott of home games at the Park, until they see the need for the changes you outline. It’s not difficult; it’s painful, effective and curable.
* Romanticism (love, passion and the rest of it) is an obvious barrier, but if the Celtic faithful cannot bring themselves to act decisively, they can resort to ‘Boos’ until the cows come home. This Board will ignore them because it’s easy and they’ve proved it with their ‘couldn’t care less’ attitudes.
* Act now instead of being seen as wimps!
Get rid off the Lawwells