PJ Dykes- Why I won’t be figurehead for Celtic Fans Collective

Paul John Dykes WON’T be putting himself forward as the figurehead of the Celtic Fans Collective.

With his daily ACSOM show attracting huge audiences on You Tube and being on call to Sky Sports and Radio Scotland, Dykes is currently the most high profile Celtic fan. He has helped promote the concerns and worries of supporters.

The growth and momentum generated by the Collective is incredible.

Started on September 3 by an open letter from the Green Brigade to the Celtic directors, within 10 days over 400 fan groups and fan media outlets added their support.

COLLECTIVE FORMATION

A public meeting was held in Grace’s in the Candleriggs, over 80 groups were represented in person.

On September 20 the Celtic Fans Collective was formed- three weeks later they were sitting with Celtic’s CEO and CFO.

Growth has been rapid, thanks largely to the stupidity of Celtic over the weekend of September 5/6.

Normally international breaks are quiet but with senior figures at Celtic crying off to a friend of Roger Hannah followed by a 1030 club statement the support was mobilised.

Michael Nicholson and Chris McKay were largely anonymous until that weekend, quickly they were the targets of banner protests. Nervously scrolling their phones at Firhill showed how ill-prepared and uncomfortable they were.

The Minutes of the October 6 meeting were galling. They confirmed the worst fears of fans about the competence of the two men leading Celtic.

Nicholson came over as being badly out his depth, unconvincing at best. McKay seemed like a bully, barely keeping his anger in check as customers questioned him for the first time ever.

32 minutes 30 seconds

DYKES:

I know Matt (McGlone) had a a fanzine at the time, but if you get somebody, let’s say I’m just going to pull a name at the hat here and say, right, Paul Quigley. Paul’s been affiliated with other movements in the past. Janette Finley is affiliated to the Celtic Trust. And I I don’t think they want someone who’s so strongly affiliated to another movement.

And in my respect, ACSOM is obviously my day-to-day life, if you like. Therefore, I think it needs to be somebody new, somebody fresh who is able to put into words what’s happening at all these meetings, and there’s loads within the Celtic fan base.

I think that’s one thing with regards to Celtic fans. See, if we don’t know the answer to something, we’ll go and find it out.

TINO:

Do you know I’ve said for a long time, or at least over the last few weeks, I do believe that a figurehead is required because you can’t you can’t get behind an organization in the same way that you can get behind an individual.

And you know whether that’s someone quite bombastic like a a Brian Dempsey type figure or Matt McGlone who’s on the ground, Jim Orr, you know doing what he done as part of Save Our Celts.

I was going to ask the question if you’re that guy, are you that guy?

DYKES:

I don’t think I’m that guy, I think people see me and probably think there’s ACSOM, there’s that guy from ACSOM. I will help as much as I can possibly help.

One of the things I the points I raise all the time is the power fan media and it’s not just, I’m just going to take this opportunity to say we’re so important.

I think we’re a very good vehicle for a movement like this. So if you think back to the 90s, they were communicating through flyers, through adverts IN newspapers and through fanzines mainly.

And then they used mainstream media as well. They utilised that really, really well. What the collective have in their favour now is a plethora of fan media platforms who go out to an incredible amount of Celtic fans on a monthly basis.

I think that’s ACSOM’s role. I think it’s your (Tino, Celtic Exchange) role, I think it’s all the other fan media role to come together and we’ve done that. Come together, share the message. I think that’s what my role is going to be in in the the movement.

CELTS FOR CHANGE

Back in the early nineties Matt McGlone was the face and voice of Celts For Change. He was part of a five man committee.

With no media training he was the go-to guy for the newspapers, radio stations and TV channels covering the story.

These days the landscape has changed.

There are over 50 podcasts and fan media groups backing the Collective. A massive network reaching far and wide.

True not every Celtic fan is constantly devouring news online but an awful lot more do that than the 38,000 people who will bought the Daily Record today. Perhaps 20% of the Record buyers are Celtic fans.

Back in the nineties a figurehead was essential, fans needed to identify.

A CHANGED LANDSCAPE

That isn’t quite the case today, everything is different in 2025.

There is no need to go through newspapers and broadcasters to reach supporters. ACSOM and The Celtic Exchange demonstrate that. No one is waiting on tomorrow’s newspapers for the latest from the Collective.

Dykes is a good media operator, he knows the background, no-one at the BBC or Sky is going to catch him out.

Since the Collective met with Nicholson and McKay and the Minutes were released there has been a number of fans on the Collective appearing on podcasts.

There are smart, articulate voices to state the case but not as a one man show.

A figurehead today is less important than in the past.

More important is having a six person steering group that feeds off the passion, ideas and emotion of the support. There are so many talents among the Celtic support.

Taking those skills into any future meetings with Nicholson and McKay is vital.

Hopefully they will soon be helping guide the club forward, sitting down with the new CEO and CFO.

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