Shaun Maloney Speaks Out on the Green Brigade Boycott — Celtic’s Board Should Be Listening

There is something seriously wrong at Celtic when the conversation ahead of a European night is no longer just about the football.

Shaun Maloney discussing the Green Brigade’s decision to boycott Celtic’s remaining Europa League home matches brings another reminder of the growing divide between the club and its supporters.

And with Celta Vigo arriving at Celtic Park on Thursday, the timing could hardly be more significant.

Maloney admitted that it is a “tough time” for Celtic and said he hopes a resolution can be found, with Thursday marking the first game of the Green Brigade’s boycott.

He also looked back at the unity around the club during the final weeks of last season, saying: “Everyone was together. I think all of us, fans, staff, everyone, we’re desperate to get that all the time. If we could get to that place again, then it would be amazing.”

I think that sums up the situation perfectly. Celtic are at their best when the supporters, players and staff are pulling in the same direction, but that unity cannot simply be demanded from the stands while the concerns driving the protest remain unresolved.

If everyone genuinely wants to get back to that place, then surely the club has to play its part in finding a way forward.

The Green Brigade have made their position clear. They intend to stay away from the remaining European home fixtures and Scottish Cup matches as part of their protest over the club’s direction and the treatment of supporters. League matches are not included in the boycott.

I might not agree with every decision made by the Green Brigade, but I find it difficult to ignore the bigger issue here. Why has the relationship between Celtic and sections of its own support deteriorated to this point?

These are supporters who have helped create the atmosphere that makes Celtic Park such a difficult place for visiting teams. European nights should be the occasions when that connection between the stands and the team is at its strongest.

Instead, we are talking about boycotts, bans, boardroom disputes and whether one of the most recognisable sections of the support will be in the ground.

That is a huge shame.

The board can point to the importance of backing the team, and there is a fair argument that the players should not be caught in the middle of a dispute that is bigger than football. Martin O’Neill has also made his disagreement with the events surrounding the recent St Andrews protest clear.

But supporters are entitled to question the people running their club. They spend their money, travel around the country and across Europe, and invest an enormous amount of emotion into Celtic. They should not feel that their concerns are simply being brushed aside.

The European football situation only adds to the frustration. Heavy defeats to Ferencváros and Benfica have left Celtic with plenty to prove, and supporters have every right to demand greater ambition on that stage.

Thursday’s match against Celta Vigo should be about getting our European campaign back on track. Yet the ongoing dispute threatens to overshadow another important night at Paradise.

The biggest concern is not simply whether the Green Brigade turn up. It is whether the people running Celtic understand why they feel staying away is necessary.

Shaun Maloney’s involvement in this discussion is another reminder that the issue is no longer something that can simply be ignored. Celtic need to find a way forward, because a club of this size should not allow its relationship with its own supporters to deteriorate indefinitely.

We can disagree about protests, tactics and how best to force change. But surely we can all agree that Celtic are better when the club and its supporters are pulling in the same direction.

Right now, they are not — and the board needs to ask itself how we got here.