No, Dermot Desmond did NOT make a decision about his Celtic shares, contrary to what the Record is trying to tell us

Well, you’ve got to hand it to the Record, they really know how to create a story out of nothing, and today’s beauty about Dermot Desmond’s Celtic shares is a case study in utter bullshit.

So, quite obviously bored out of his tree, Mark Pirie decided to magic up a story in the Record about Desmond’s share situation at the club.

But first Mark had to find a way to do that.

And wasn’t it just his luck that there was a story in today’s Business Post, telling us how Desmond could be about to sell off one of his assets worth £4 billion?

Desmond owns Barchester Healthcare, a UK nursing group, along with fellow Irish billionaires, JP McManus and John Magnier.

Pirie used this as an avenue to dredge up a story about Desmond’s Celtic shares, which has absolutely nothing to do with the sale of this particular asset.

In fact, upon reading the below headline, you’d be led to believe that Desmond made a decision on his shares in light of what’s happening with the fanbase at the moment:

Dermot Desmond ‘in talks’ to sell £4bn asset with his decision on Celtic shares made

Now, this is nothing but utter clickbait, because no such decision has been made.

Well, at least not since 2022 anyway.

But apparently something that happened 3 years ago is newsworthy today because Desmond is about to sell an asset worth £4 billion?

Go figure.

Pirie decided to take the below 2022 statement from Desmond, and regurgitate it in line with a story that has the sweet f*** all to do with his shares:

I have no intention of selling any shares, not now or in the future, even if somebody offers me a price three or four times the current share price, I’m not selling.

I’ve been privileged and honoured to be able to be a shareholder of a club I supported as a youth and I’ve been a fan for well over 50 years.

Therefore I’ll continue to be a fan and shareholder and hopefully contribute to the continued development of the club.

He’ll continue to hopefully contribute to the continued development of the club?

You mean contribute to managed decline, surely?

Because Celtic hasn’t been developing since 2022, it’s been going backwards.

Pirie finishes his article with reference once again to Willie Haughey’s defence of Desmond.

I already took this apart in an earlier article.

Once again, Celtic fans aren’t going to be backing off here.

And while Pirie had to drive it home that Desmond won’t be selling his shares (by creating an imaginary story about him making a decision on them, like today), that won’t deter us from our protests.

It would be nice if Desmond would actually contribute to the continued development of the club.

Especially if he oversaw the installation of a young and ambitious board.

That would be an awesome start.

But it seems as if we’re going to have to force his hand on that, doesn’t it?

Don’t worry though, Mark Pirie has reassured us he won’t be selling his shares any time soon.

Well done Mark.

Pulitzer prize winning journalism at it’s best.

We’re privileged to have such excellent stenographers in the SMSM.

Long may it continue.

#Sack the Board

#Renewal is coming