Journalist Stephen McGowan believes Celtic’s tension between the board and sections of the support has not eased, even as results on the pitch keep ticking over.
The Scottish Cup win over Dundee moved the team into the next round, but it did little to settle the wider mood around the club. Protests, boycotts, and questions about direction are still never far away.
Celtic fc board, Michael Nicholson, Brian Wilson
Stephen McGowan Names the Man Blocking Real Change at Celtic
By Michael Shearer -February 9, 2026
Journalist Stephen McGowan believes Celtic’s tension between the board and sections of the support has not eased, even as results on the pitch keep ticking over.
The Scottish Cup win over Dundee moved the team into the next round, but it did little to settle the wider mood around the club. Protests, boycotts, and questions about direction are still never far away.
21st September 2025; Firhill Stadium, Glasgow, Scotland; Scottish League Cup Football, Partick Thistle v Celtic; Celtic fans protest all celtic fans against the board
At the centre of that debate is ownership and control. While faces in the boardroom change and statements and interviews promise talks, many supporters feel the real issue sits higher up. The frustration is not tied to one transfer window or one decision. It comes from a pattern that has built over years.
McGowan puts that view forward clearly. He reflects a feeling shared by a large part of the support: nothing truly changes unless the balance of power changes. New chairs, advisory groups, or better communication can calm things for a while, but they do not alter who makes the final calls at Celtic.
January passed without a permanent transfer fee being paid. Loan deals filled gaps, but the sense of caution stayed. Celtic are still fighting on several fronts, yet many fans look at the money in the bank and ask why ambition feels limited.
McGowan said: (TCW), “So long as Dermot Desmond is calling all the shots, the chances are that it won’t make much difference at all.
“By retaining £70million, fans feel Celtic are taking fiscal caution to extremes and ushering in the very rainy day they’ve spent all their time saving for.
“While many find it hard to grasp why a man with 34 per cent of the shares has 100 per cent of the say, that’s the blunt reality of Celtic plc.
“There might be some crumbs passed down the table. A promise to improve communication and engagement during peace talks with disgruntled fan groups before season-book renewal time.
“Expect a fan advisory board, a new chairman, some fresh faces in the boardroom, maybe even a beefed-up football operations role for Shaun Maloney beside a permanent manager.
“Celtic will continue to operate more like a European bank watching every penny than a progressive club with ambitions of making an impact in UEFA competition.”
McGowan explains brilliantly why frustration keeps coming back, even after cups are lifted. Winning has not stopped the feeling that Celtic are holding something back while others take chances
For Martin O’Neill and the squad, the task is unchanged. Train, play, and win trophies. For supporters, the argument sits beside every game. Wins can take the edge off, but it does not fix what sits underneath.
McGowan’s point is that unless something shifts at the top, patience will keep thinning. Talks may cool things down for a short time, but control stays where it is. That is why the noise around Celtic is not going anywhere.