Membership Scheme is the way forward for Celtic support

From shareholder initiatives to strongly worded statements, from supporter associations to ultras, a broad spectrum of the Celtic support is finding its voice. Celtic’s own statement on Saturday evening, coming just after a ‘Celtic Insider’ briefed the Scottish Sun in an attempt to shift the blame for the transfer window fiasco and subsequent fall-out and the Champions League exit that’s cost the club around £40m, has added to the unrest.

Last night the representatives of the Celtic support came together with the Celtic fan media to discuss the way forward. We have written about this meeting in a few articles earlier today.

The week before at The Celtic Trust’s recent AGM, there appears to have been a lack of the unity that was on display last night. Two hours of in-fighting, personal accusations, and resignations exposed the weaknesses of a voluntary structure trying to take on a multi-million-pound PLC armed with legal expertise and corporate resources. Sadly, the Trust feels stuck — despite the evident appetite among supporters for meaningful change. Now that could all change.

The Affiliation called out the club’s recurring failure to prepare for Europe

Meanwhile, the Affiliation of Celtic Supporters Clubs (ARCSC) — an organisation representing branches across Scotland, Ireland, England, North America, and beyond since 1986 — released a statement week that could not be ignored. It condemned the club’s lack of ambition, particularly the failure to strengthen the squad before crucial Champions League qualifiers. Echoing the concerns of Brendan Rodgers and Callum McGregor, the Affiliation called out the club’s recurring failure to prepare for Europe and demanded accountability from CEO Michael Nicholson.

Add to that the Green Brigade publishing their own demands backed by close over 450 –at the last count – other fan organisations podcasts and fan media including the Celtic Star. We’ve also had prominent shareholders encouraging fellow investors to use little-known AGM procedures to press the board directly on purpose, vision, and strategy. The chorus is growing, and it’s coming from all sides.

If there is one theme uniting these interventions, it is frustration. Supporters see a board unwilling or unable to back the manager, modernise governance, or meaningfully engage with those who keep the club alive – the fans.

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