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Celtic gave the Celtic Fans Collective exactly what they wanted

Celtic made a critical error by issuing a long and ill-tempered statement attacking the Celtic Fans Collective.

Published: Monday, 5 October 2026 at 9:40 AM
Celtic gave the Celtic Fans Collective exactly what they wanted
Key Things to Know
  • Jamie Kemble argues Celtic's angry statement gave the Celtic Fans Collective the national publicity they desired.
  • Protesters threw tennis balls onto a St Andrews golf course where Celtic majority shareholder Dermot Desmond was playing.
  • Celtic issued a late-night, nearly 1,000-word statement condemning the Collective's actions.
The Story in 60 Seconds

Writer Jamie Kemble argues that Celtic handed the Celtic Fans Collective a public relations victory by issuing an angry, lengthy statement after a protest against Dermot Desmond. The fan group threw tennis balls onto a St Andrews golf course where Desmond was playing to protest his leadership. Celtic responded with a late-night statement condemning the group, which Kemble asserts magnified a situation that otherwise might have quickly faded.

Backing comments made by journalist Stephen McGowan on the Press Box Podcast, the writer labels the club's response a public relations misstep. Kemble contends that instead of issuing an extensive attack that gave the protest widespread national attention and earned the Collective sympathy, Celtic should have remained concise or avoided commenting entirely.

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