Dermot Desmond, Don’t Be A Coward – The Celtic Fans Collective Has Called Your Bluff, Now Show Some Bottle And Face The Supporters At The AGM

Dermot Desmond, the time for hiding behind statements, representatives and your considerable influence at Celtic Football Club is over.

The Celtic Fans Collective has issued a direct challenge to the club’s largest individual shareholder. Attend the 2026 Annual General Meeting, stand before the supporters and answer questions about your role in running our football club.

It’s a perfectly reasonable demand.

In fact, given everything that has happened at Celtic over the past year, it’s the absolute minimum supporters should expect.

Twenty years without attending an AGM. Twenty years!

Yet nobody could seriously argue that Desmond has spent those two decades sitting quietly in the background.

You Cannot Act Like Celtic’s Owner Whenever It Suits You

Let’s establish something important.

Dermot Desmond is not the outright owner of Celtic Football Club. He is the largest individual minority shareholder in a publicly listed company.

That’s a distinction that seems to disappear whenever his influence is being discussed.

Managerial appointments, the direction of the club and public statements defending the hierarchy have all demonstrated the considerable influence Desmond exercises.

When Brendan Rodgers departed, Desmond was prominent in the public response. When Celtic’s managerial direction comes under discussion, his name is never far away.

Yet when supporters have an opportunity to question the people exercising that influence, he’s nowhere to be seen.

You cannot have it both ways.

If you want to wield the influence of an owner, you should be prepared to accept the accountability that comes with it.

And there’s another important point. Desmond isn’t merely a shareholder. He is also a non-executive director of Celtic plc.

Surely that makes his continued absence from these meetings even more difficult to defend?

The Celtic Fans Collective Has Put The Challenge In Black And White

The Collective’s statement makes its position absolutely clear:

“With that influence comes a responsibility to be accountable.”

It also insists that sending his son, another representative or a prepared statement is no substitute for appearing personally.

Spot on!

We all remember last year’s AGM, when Ross Desmond delivered a statement on his father’s behalf before proceedings were brought to a premature conclusion under Peter Lawwell.

“Behave” – How utterly condascending from Lawwell.

How smugly served up the speech was from Desmond Jr.

The Celtic Trust has subsequently sought an apology over the platform given to Ross Desmond and his remarks about supporters.

Nobody needs a repeat of that circus.

Indeed, the Collective has specifically called for this year’s meeting to focus on scrutiny rather than protest.

That’s an important distinction.

Supporters want questions answered. They want accountability, transparency and an explanation of the decisions that have brought Celtic to this point.

They aren’t demanding that Desmond surrender his shares or abandon his involvement.

They’re asking him to turn up.

It’s Time To Show Some Bottle, Dermot

Celtic supporters have watched the club’s European ambitions deteriorate, recruitment decisions attract increasing criticism and the relationship between the boardroom and the stands become increasingly poisonous.

Meanwhile, the man widely regarded as the most influential figure at Celtic remains largely inaccessible to those demanding answers.

Enough.

If Desmond genuinely believes in the direction Celtic are taking, the AGM presents an opportunity to defend it.

If he believes the criticism is unfair, explain to us why.

And if he believes his influence benefits Celtic, surely he should welcome the chance to demonstrate that directly to supporters and shareholders?

Nobody is asking him to walk into a courtroom.

It’s a football club’s Annual General Meeting.

Dermot Desmond, stop sending other people to speak for you. Stop choosing when to exercise your influence and when to disappear behind your shareholding.

The Celtic Fans Collective has called you out.

Now show some bottle.

Attend the AGM. Face the supporters. Answer the questions.

It’s time to be brave and find your balls.