By the time the 1990s arrived, there were numerous issues which split the club and fans, with the attacks and criticisms going both ways.
The most obvious of these came in the form of ‘Sack the Board’ protests. By the early-1990s, Celtic were in disarray on and off the park. In a playing sense, they were well behind not simply Rangers but also various other teams in Scotland. And the club’s financial position was precarious at best.
Numerous fan protests took place against the Board. This started with the ‘Save our Celts’ campaign but later expanded into the ‘Celts for Change’ group. These organisations participated in various actions such as marches and media stunts, to say nothing of the ‘Sack the Board’ refrain which was sung regularly.
However, it was not simply the supporters that attacked the Board; Celtic’s ‘custodians’ in turn had their own criticisms of the different protests. One senior Board member famously described people opposed to the current regime as being “Malcontents.” It was suggested that people engaging in Celtic protests were not true fans.
Of course, Fergus McCann eventually removed the old Board from power. The story of McCann is a fascinating one in terms of how supporter opinions can change. Initially, he was very popular for having ousted the previous regime. However, he soon became the target of fan ire on different issues. And nowadays he is often given a status akin to Brother Walfrid in Celtic’s history.
Other than complaints about club spending, the issue which caused most arguments between McCann and some Celtic fans related to the songs which were sung in the stands. He famously started the Bhoys against Bigotry campaign. Launched in 1996, these efforts tried to shift Celtic away from association with nationalist Irish politics.
The move was unpopular with many and helped foster the negative views that some supporters had towards McCann, even leading to him being booed when unfurling the 1998 League flag.
Like now, this was something which divided the support, and others associated with the club. Tommy Burns was part of the campaign and once commented that he had “noticed a huge reduction in sectarian singing at Parkhead” but in later years said he was not comfortable with the scheme.
