The Celtic Trust has made a proposal to the Celtic board that it offer season ticket holders the option of receiving shares in the club instead of cash in respect of any refunds that may be due on season tickets for this season. The Trust’s wording appears to indicate that there will be refunds due although that seems to be unlikely.

Celtic had an obligation to refund for the games missed at the end of last season. Season tickets had been sold for the 19 home games and as the league was curtailed early due to the pandemic Celtic were unable to fulfil their part of that contract and refunds were duly offered. Anyone who has not already asked for a refund for these games from last season can still do so by contacting the ticket office.

However for this season Celtic provided the Pass to Paradise service and while many supporters have been unhappy with this service, many missed the Odsonne Edouard goal last week for instance as there was a significant outage at Celtic Park, but other than as a possible goodwill gesture, there is little chance, as we see it, that any rebate will be due. Maybe there’s something we don’t know but the Celtic Trust do appear to believe that refunds will be due.

And what the Trust does not address is this. If refunds are due to each season ticket holder surely it would be then up to them to decide to a) leave the money within the club as many did last season (myself included) b) do as The Celtic Trust suggests and take shares in lieu of a cash refund or perhaps due to harsh personal finance circumstances c) take the money to open on the family.

Here is the statement that The Celtic Trust have released this morning. We have asked Celtic for a comment and for confirmation that refunds will or will not be due for this season and will report on that when we hear back.

Celtic Trust urges share issue for season ticket holders

The Celtic Trust has made a proposal to the board of the football club that it offers season ticket holders the option of receiving shares in the club instead of cash in respect of refunds due on season tickets for this season.

Before the start of the season, the club told supporters it was their ‘firm intention to give additional value to season ticket holders for this and coming seasons’.

The cheapest season ticket costs £510 and fans have only received a match steaming service worth around £90 for the season.

Some hospitality season ticket holders have already been offered a cash refund option whilst ordinary season ticket holders have yet to hear from the club.

READ THIS…Shares, Protests, 5WA and Res12: Exclusive Interview with David Low, Chair at Celtic Trust

With ongoing uncertainly over when crowds will be allowed back into stadia and a new manager and a team rebuild on the horizon it is crucial to retain money in the club and to promote the help sale of season tickets for the forthcoming season.

The club has received about £25 million from supporters for season ticket purchases. The proposal from The Celtic Trust:

• Preserves the cash position during unprecedented and difficult times for professional football,
• Creates a positive dynamic for the sale of season tickets in season 2021/22 and
• Offers a younger generation of supporters an opportunity to own a stake in their club.Outlining the proposal, Trust Chair, David Low explained: “Due to Covid, it’s a very difficult time for the whole sport and as Celtic fans we’ve had a very disappointing season. We want to help retain cash within the club and encourage season ticket sales for next season. We want to start next season in as strong a position as possible and our proposal helps achieve that objective.”

Previous proposals from The Celtic Trust recently adopted by Celtic include:

• An extensive FAQs page on the club website to help supporters and Supporters’ Clubs become re-connected with their shareholdings in the club,
• Helping to enable shareholders claim all unclaimed dividends accrued since 1997, and
• Assisting shareholders with replacement share certificates if the original certificates have been lost
• More information can be found on the updated FAQs on the Investor Relations section of the Celtic PLC website.

READ THIS: Writing on The Celtic Star in January, The Celtic Trust Chairperson had this to say…
David Low, Celtic Trust: “The collapse in the performance of the team, who is responsible and what we’re all going to do about it”