Celtic fans have had enough- the complacency and contempt that they are served by the club has crossed a line over the last week.
The disconnection between executives and customers has been long established, reluctantly tolerated by fans as just the way it is as they lapped up domestic dominance on an unprecedented scale.
From 1946 to 2015 Celtic won three trebles, in the last decade there has been five more, apart from one dubious season the consolation for missing out on a treble has been winning a double.
In Europe with one exception Celtic have been horrendous, a UEFA co-efficient is in the sixties caused by repeated failures under the leadership of Peter Lawwell regardless of who has been in the manager’s chair.
Last season things seemed to change, Celtic rode the crest of the new look Champions League wave, under Brendan Rodgers with the exception of a bruising night in Dortmund Celtic looked confident and comfortable on the continent.
In the autumn of 2023 Celtic were being embarrassed away to Atletico Madrid and Lazio, a year later there was pride and joy with a draw away to Atalanta and a thrilling home win over RB Leipzig, four points from two opponents from the big five leagues.
Autumn 2025 and Celtic aren’t in the Champions League, caught short against Kairat Almaty who joined Qarabag and Pafos in the main event while FC Copenhagen and Club Brugge sailing further and further out over Celtic’s horizon.
World class in everything that we do Michael Nicholson claimed in his one and only media comment in four years as Chief Executive Officer.
Following the Champions League exit Celtic drew a blank at Ibrox in the middle of the most horrific conclusion to a transfer window.
Celtic fans are used to missing out on the rumoured targets to push the club on, this time around Nicholson has gone out of his way to weaken the team through the transfers of Nicolas Kuhn and finally Adam Idah.
With around £80m in the bank on June 30 a surplus of £20m has been generated in the transfer market with the squad weakened.
The boardroom drive to undermine Brendan Rodgers has gone to far- the managed decline spiralled out of control, it is no longer managed. Some are describing it as sabotage.
— North Curve Celtic (@NCCeltic) September 3, 2025
The Young Team
— Affiliation_CSCs (@cscaffiliation) September 2, 2025
A more traditional supporters group, very different to the ‘in house’ Association.
Typically Celtic’s ‘reaction’ has been silence which is generally how they treat every iisue, insulated by domestic success it generally pays off but there is a different level of anger this time. An edge that has been a long time in building.
It’s not just been a shrug of the shoulders and an acknowledgment that ‘ah well, only a treble to go for’.
Brendan Rodgers has many faults but is effectively now on nine months notice, there is no point in even thinking about contract talks, the attitude of the club appears to be to do ensure that there is absolutely no reason for him to consider extending his stay. Whatever the cost to the team as the sales of Kuhn and Idah confirms.
At the end of last season Rodgers said he was 150% certain to see out his contract then upgraded it to 200%, sadly he is now being held hostage to those comments.
The summer 2025 transfer window shambles is effectively the outcome of the lingering issues from season 2018/19.
From John McGinn to Youssuf Mulumbu in 2018 we have Kasper Dolberg to Kelechi Iheanacho seven years down the line.
First time around Rodgers at least had a full midfield to select from including Scott Brown, Callum McGregor, Olivier Ntcham and Tom Rogic, When Moussa Dembele was sold Odsonne Edouard was promoted to first choice while Leigh Griffiths had his issues. Now the manager has Shin Yamada, Johnny Kenny and Daizen Maeda who is probably preferred on the left wing.
Back in March Chairman Lawwell was on the phone to his pal Hugh Keevins over a claim that he was involved in transfer business that appeared in the Sunday Mail. The veteran reporter was so flustered he didn’t ask who it was that was driving transfer strategy. Typical.
The statements from the Affiliation and Green Brigade have far greater reach than Keevins, clearly Lawwell and his clone Nicholson have no answer other than to point at domestic trophies won in spite of them rather than because of th club executives.
This transfer window has been horrific, the same decision makers will appoint the successor to Rodgers, just like in autumn 2020 under Neil Lennon the Celtic support know the direction that this is taking.
Unfortunately for the board, this time around those pesky entitled customers have stadium access.
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