Celtic interim chairman Brian Wilson has finally spoken directly about meetings with supporters, saying he is willing to meet fan groups in the coming week. It is a change in tone, but it has arrived late, more than a month after he took the role and only days before a planned boycott.
Wilson has been in the job long enough for anger to build. In that time, Celtic have gone through a full transfer window, dealt with supporter bans, fan media restricted, and rising frustration across the stands. For many fans, the silence from the top during that period only made things worse.
The promise of meetings does matter. Supporters have been clear that they want conversations, not statements released at a distance. Wilson’s comments suggest he understands that gap and accepts that progress with fans has been slow.
Still, the timing is hard to ignore. The offer to talk has come after the Celtic Fans Collective announced plans to boycott Saturday’s Scottish Cup tie against Dundee. That makes it feel more like a response to pressure than part of a clear plan, even if the desire to engage is real.
He said: (Celtic TV), “Obviously, on the immediate issues of supporters and the frustrations and in some cases the problems that exist there, there hasn’t been as much progress as I would like to see. That is something we now turn our attention to.
“What I asked for is unity behind the team. Let’s sort out these other issues. I’m not dismissing them or marginalising them. On the contrary, we want to engage with them.
“It’s up to each individual to judge whether a fan boycott, being outside the stadium or inside the stadium, helps that. That’s for people to decide.
“I accept there hasn’t been as much engagement as I would have liked over the past month. But we have reached out to every supporters’ group, and I hope these meetings will take place within the next week or so.”
The final promise is the one people will focus on most. Many feel these talks should have happened already, not only after a boycott was announced.
There is also the football side to think about. Celtic are still in the middle of a title race and cup games do not wait for boardroom issues to settle. Wilson is right that the team needs support when they step onto the pitch.
But trust is not rebuilt by words alone. It comes from actions taken early, not after pressure builds. If meetings really do happen next week and lead to clear changes, this could be the start of something better.
If they do not, the belief that dialogue only comes when fans force the issue will grow stronger.
Saturday’s boycott did not come out of nowhere. It followed weeks of silence. What happens next will show whether this is real engagement or just a late reaction to growing anger.
Keep Reading
