Celtic Fans Collective Update

The Celtic Fans Collective met at Graces in Glasgow on 16 October 2025, chaired by Paul Thomson and hosted by Paul John Dykes. The meeting followed on from the inaugural gathering in September and provided an update on the Collective’s progress, strategy and forthcoming actions. The interim steering group, established after the first meeting, now comprises twenty-one members representing a broad cross-section of the Celtic support, including official supporters’ associations, regional groups, online communities and independent fans. The group remains open to new involvement and continues to function on an interim basis while longer-term structures are developed. Communication channels are now well established, with active accounts on X, Instagram and Bluesky, alongside a dedicated email address for direct contact. A central website is also being built to serve as an information hub and future platform for fundraising and membership. 

Since the previous meeting, three significant match-day actions have taken place as part of the Collective’s ongoing campaign for accountability and meaningful engagement from the club’s board. The first was the “12 Minutes Without the 12th Man” protest at Kilmarnock, where supporters delayed entering the ground to highlight dissatisfaction with the board’s direction. This was followed by a visual display at Firhill and then a series of in-stadium silences agreed for matches against Hibs, Braga and Motherwell. The first silence, at the Hibs match, attracted considerable press coverage and drew public attention to supporters’ frustrations, leading to a request from the club to meet with fan representatives. The decision was taken to postpone the other planned silences and take the club up on its offer. Themeeting took place on Monday 6 October, however those present agreed that it achieved little, with the Collective describing the club’s attitude as dismissive and contemptuous of supporters. 

In light of this failed dialogue, much of the meeting focused on how best to maintain pressure on the Celtic PLC board while ensuring unity across the fan base and avoiding actions that might negatively affect the team. There were differing perspectives shared in that a small number of voices were uncomfortable with certain protest actions, whilst some others felt that a more extreme approach would be needed, however there was a general agreement reached that visible, coordinated match-day protests should continue in a way that found the right balance to build pressure and maintain broad support. Suggestions included pre kick-off protests that would be captured by broadcasters, a consistent twelfth-minute action at each match to provide a recognisable symbol of dissent, and a large-scale coordinated visual display at a home fixture in the lead-up to the club’s AGM. The tone of discussion emphasised the need for balance and there was agreement that match-day actions should continue to maintain pressure, but with clear parameters set to ensure they take place before kick-off, at half-time or after full-time, reflecting supporters’ wishes that the team not be disrupted during play. 

Attention then turned to preparations for the upcoming AGM. Jeanette Findlay of the Celtic Trust, speaking as part of the steering group, outlined two formal resolutions that have been drafted for submission. The first calls on the board to publish a clear strategic plan for the club, setting out its long-term objectives and performance indicators. The second declares that the current board is failing in its duties and calls for its resignation. Procedural difficulties have arisen due to the club’s new Company Secretary, who provided notice of the AGM deadline late in the evening of 13 October, giving only one night for shareholder requisitions to be submitted. The Collective and the Celtic Trust have formally requested a one-week extension to allow sufficient time to gather the required number of shareholder signatures. Regardless of the club’s response, the AGM will be used as a platform to challenge the board directly through the submission of questions, the use of proxy votes and the potential organisation of a visible yet peaceful demonstration outside or within the venue. The Trust has published an urgent call to shareholders for action through its website. 

https://celtictrust.net/urgent-request-to-shareholders-for-action-re-2025-celtic-plc-agm/

Economic action was also discussed and agreed. There was overwhelming support within the room for a boycott of non-ticket products, and it was noted that many fans have begun boycotting unofficially already as a result of their dissatisfaction with the direction of the Club. The Collective endorsed a boycott of official club merchandise and non-essential match-day spending throughout the winter period, particularly over Christmas when retail sales are highest. The protest will be framed as a constructive outlet for supporters to impact the club’s commercial priorities and send a clear message about its direction, without disrupting the players or match-day support. 

Clear communications will accompany the campaign to encourage supporters to take part. The Collective will issue an initial public statement to coincide with the next retail launch, followed by a more detailed communication outlining the rationale behind the boycott and next steps in the campaign. The communications subgroup will also consider some creative suggestions put forth on how it might frame messaging to build support for the boycott in the run up to Christmas. The boycott will be reviewed in February to decide whether it should continue or evolve into other forms of financial action. 

Donations to support the Collective’s ongoing work will open shortly, with suggested contributions from the original signatories and from supporters’ clubs. Larger organisations will be encouraged to contribute more where possible, but participation will remain voluntary. The meeting closed with agreement to continue matchday protests that build pressure but support the team, preparation for an assertive presence at the AGM, and the continued development of communication and funding infrastructure to support the next phase of the Collective’s campaign.