Celtic fans will have plenty to say as insider reveals Dermot Desmond’s response to outrage

Gordon Strachan breaks silence on Celtic protest as Dermot Desmond faces fresh backlash

Former Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has criticised the approach taken by supporters who confronted club principal shareholder Dermot Desmond during the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in St Andrews, insisting their actions have achieved little.

The protest, involving supporters wearing balaclavas, took place while Desmond was participating in the golf tournament. The incident has since intensified tensions between sections of the Celtic fanbase and the club’s leadership.

Celtic subsequently issued a response addressing the incident, while the Celtic Fans Collective published its own statement alongside videos and photographs from the protest. The Green Brigade and the Celtic Trust have also been vocal in their criticism of the club’s board.

Strachan, who worked closely with Desmond during his time in charge at Parkhead, has now offered his perspective on the growing dispute. The former Hoops boss and the Irish businessman have previously spoken positively about their relationship.

Speaking to BoyleSports, Strachan acknowledged that supporters have legitimate ways to express their dissatisfaction but argued that disruptive behaviour would not help resolve the disagreement.

“There are appropriate ways for supporters to express frustration, but throwing objects or disrupting events crosses the line,” he said.

He also stressed the importance of communication between the club’s leadership and its supporters, suggesting that both parties needed to appreciate each other’s concerns before meaningful discussions could take place.

Strachan added that hostile conduct was unlikely to produce a positive outcome, warning that such actions were not a constructive way to begin a conversation.

Meanwhile, Desmond has also been in the spotlight following the sale of Betdaq, the betting exchange business he founded in 2000.

Betdaq was among the early entrants into the betting exchange market and has operated for more than 25 years. Desmond previously sold the company to Ladbrokes for £25 million in 2013 before regaining ownership eight years later when Ladbrokes’ parent company, Entain, sold it back to him.

Although the financial details of the latest sale to Matchbook have not been publicly disclosed, the development has brought renewed attention to Desmond’s business interests as the disagreement with sections of the Celtic support continues.