Celtic make major move after Dermot Desmond protest at St Andrews

Celtic have drawn a major line in the sand after Dermot Desmond was targeted during Saturday’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews.

The club has now cut ties with the Celtic Fans Collective, following the protest in which tennis balls were thrown towards Desmond while he was taking part in the golf tournament. Celtic have also warned that anyone found to have planned, organised or taken part in the demonstration could face an indefinite ban from Celtic Park.

The club issued a lengthy statement condemning what it described as a pre-planned act of disruption. Celtic said supporters have every right to criticise the board, shareholders and decisions made by the club, but argued that the St Andrews incident crossed the line from peaceful protest into deliberate disruption.

The incident took place on the 15th hole of the Old Course, where tennis balls featuring images of Desmond with his face crossed out were thrown onto the green. The Celtic principal shareholder was later escorted away from the course by security.

Celtic also claimed the protest had been discussed and planned in advance by the Celtic Fans Collective committee, including proposals involving tennis balls, banners and the use of Collective funds for protest materials.

The club accused those behind the demonstration of taking a dispute involving Celtic outside the football environment and disrupting an unrelated sporting event. Celtic said the actions risked damaging the reputation built by generations of supporters.

The statement also took aim at the wider conduct of the Green Brigade and Celtic Fans Collective over the past year, claiming repeated incidents of disruption had increasingly threatened the club’s reputation.

Celtic have therefore decided that the Fans Collective can no longer be regarded as a representative body for the wider support and confirmed that all engagement with the group has ended with immediate effect.

The Celtic Fans Collective, meanwhile, defended the protest and accused Desmond of using his wealth to avoid scrutiny and accountability. The group said supporters had used the opportunity to send a message that the current situation at the club cannot continue.

Celtic insisted that supporters remain free to disagree with the board and make their voices heard, but stressed that it would continue to protect the club, its employees, directors, shareholders and supporters.

The latest development leaves the relationship between Celtic and sections of the support facing another serious flashpoint, with the club making clear that it will not accept organised disruption as a way of putting pressure on its leadership.