Chris Sutton reckons that the Celtic board has pulled off the unusual achievement of bringing the whole fan base together in opposition to them…
The Celtic Board. Celtic Champions 2025. Dundee United v Celtic, 26 April 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star).
In recent weeks the Celtic support has displayed their anger after an abysmal transfer window and yet another unsuccessful attempt to reach the Champions League through not sufficiently preparing and investing in the team on the pitch.
Fans intend to demonstrate their discontent at Rugby Park this weekend by holding a “12 Minutes Without the 12th Man” protest. It will be the first of a series of actions supporters of the Open Letter will take part in over the coming weeks and months to force change at the top.
Celtic supporters shows their support at full-time following the team’s victory in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Semi Final match between St Johnstone and Celtic at Hampden Park on April 20, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Writing in his weekly column in Daily Record, Sutton stated: “Credit where it’s due. The Celtic board are under severe pressure but they have pulled off one remarkable feat in the last few weeks.”
“They’ve managed to unite an entire fan base. That’s good going when you have a support the size of Celtic’s. They’ve succeeded in (upsetting) all of them.”
Sutton added: “The summer transfer window was a slow moving train wreck plenty of us – including the manager and club captain – were warned well in advance. But last weekend’s haughty and ill-judged statement on the back of the muck being thrown around with Brendan Rodgers has proved to be the straw that’s broken the camel’s back.”
Celtic supporters at Rugby Park
“This is what happens when fans feel like they are being taken granted and fed nonsense – a huge backlash. The noise from supporters groups and individual fans is deafening, with votes of no confidence, proposed Europa League boycotts and numerous methods of protest in the pipeline.
“It says it all when even the Celtic Supporters Association are coming out and having a go,” Sutton noted.
The former Celtic striker continued: “It probably seems madness to those on the outside given Celtic have won 13 of the last 14 titles but I totally get the fan frustration. They want to see the club being ambitious beyond Scotland, maximising its potential and giving supporters a bang for their buck.”
Celtic face Kilmarnock tomorrow afternoon live on Sky Sports, and the North Curve group revealed on Thursday night that their protest will begin as the match kicks off.
Releasing a statement two days ago, the group stated: “At Sunday’s match v Kilmarnock, Celtic’s 12th man will enter the stand on the 12th minute to remind the Celtic FC board that it exists.”
Celtic supporters heading to Hampden last May for the Scottish Cup Final. Photo Big Lens.
“This bold visual and vocal protest, follows the recent Open Letter signed by 420 signatories, which the board has failed to respond to; and a consultation meeting with these signatories.”
“As a collective of fans, we wish no detriment to the team but believe necessary steps must be taken to demonstrate our discontent and remind the board that ‘football is nothing without fans.”
“Once we enter the stand, the team will receive vociferous backing.”
Conor Spence
Actually Chris, you are wrong!
Many real fans are smart enough to know while the board has certainly been negligent in regards to the transfer window, they are also far and away the best board in the business when it comes to making sure we don’t go the route the old now extinct rangers went in 2011!
The idiot “mob” don’t seem to understand that part!
They actually think we have problems! Look across the city even today at the rangers tribute act! NOW THATS A PROBLEM!
We only have a couple of small issues to fix, in my opinion, the main one being the manager! He needs to go. He is the biggest problem we have. A disruptive leader.
He is a master manipulator. But for himself!
I can’t believe he has conned so many people this time around, especially when we all know he’s walking away in May!