Celtic Warned Fans Could Vote With Their Feet as Frustration Grows

Celtic supporters have been here before.

Last summer’s unrest did not appear overnight. It built gradually as frustration over recruitment, communication and decision-making grew throughout previous transfer windows.

Eventually, those frustrations spilled into the stands.

There were banners, chants and even organised protests.

Supporters made their feelings known at home and away, while incidents such as the tennis balls and bouncy balls thrown onto the pitch became symbolic of a growing disconnect between sections of the fanbase and the boardroom.

It is a situation nobody wants to see repeated.

Yet there is a growing feeling among some supporters that Celtic are once again drifting towards a familiar scenario.

The club admitted mistakes had been made, board members acknowledged shortcomings and supporters were told lessons had been learned.

What many fans are struggling with now is understanding exactly what has changed.

There was no detailed explanation of where the club felt it went wrong, no clear roadmap outlining how those mistakes would be avoided in future.

Instead, supporters were largely asked to trust that improvements would follow.

So far this summer, many are still waiting for evidence.

Martin O’Neill was confirmed as manager, but supporters waited weeks for that announcement.

There is still no official confirmation regarding Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham despite widespread reports that agreements have been reached.

Pre-season is almost here and no new signings have arrived.

Meanwhile, rivals across Scotland and beyond continue to strengthen.

That backdrop has led to renewed criticism from former Celtic striker Frank McAvennie.

Speaking on his Let Me Be Frank podcast, he suggested supporters could eventually express their frustrations by staying away.

“Do you think people will go?

“Even though they’re buying season tickets, do you think they’ll stay away?”

“If they don’t think they’re going to do something because you can’t go in now…

“Rangers have a new manager, a new striker, okay they played for the team that lost, Shankland will score a few goals, they’ll be pushing more and Celtic are doing nothing.”

Whether supporters would actually boycott matches is another matter entirely. The pre-season home games could well be boycotted by season ticket holders, with it not on the books.

A boycott was called for the Scottish Cup game against Dundee last season.

But McAvennie’s broader point reflects a growing concern among sections of the support.

Fans can accept losing out on players; they can accept difficult negotiations. What they struggle to accept is the perception of inactivity.

The Celtic Fans Collective’s recent campaign highlighting unfulfilled boardroom commitments has only amplified those concerns.

There is still plenty of time left in the transfer window and a strong few weeks could completely change the mood.