Celtic Season Ticket Holders Send Club a Clear Message

Celtic’s pre-season friendlies are on sale.

Whether supporters are buying them in significant numbers is another question.

Season ticket holders were given priority access this week to purchase tickets for the friendlies against Middlesbrough and AC Milan.

However, with that priority window drawing to a close before general sale opens on Friday morning, there still appears to be thousands of seats available across Celtic Park.

Only a limited number of home sections were initially released, yet many still have plenty of tickets remaining.

The picture is similar for both fixtures.

Here’s the current situation for the Middlesbrough match on the ticketing site: 

And here’s what it’s looking like for AC Milan: 

While AC Milan has seemingly generated slightly more interest than Middlesbrough, there is little to suggest demand has been overwhelming.

Of course, context is important.

Pre-season friendlies rarely attract the same level of interest from season ticket holders as competitive fixtures.

Many supporters use the summer matches as an opportunity to take a break, while others wait for general sale so they can attend with family or friends who do not hold season tickets.

With tickets now available to everyone, attendances could yet improve significantly over the coming weeks.

But it is difficult to ignore the wider mood surrounding the club.

Supporters are entering another summer filled with uncertainty.

Pre-season training begins today.

Martin O’Neill has been confirmed as manager, yet questions remain over the make-up of his coaching staff.

Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham are still awaiting official confirmation despite reports that agreements are close.

Gavin Strachan has departed for West Bromwich Albion.

Meanwhile, the transfer window has opened without a single new signing arriving at Celtic Park, or even signs that anyone is imminent.

That backdrop inevitably influences supporter sentiment.

The club acknowledged mistakes had been made in previous transfer windows and promised improvements.

Many fans are still waiting to see evidence of those changes.

Whether the slower uptake for these pre-season fixtures is simply typical summer behaviour or an early sign of supporter frustration is impossible to say with certainty.

The general sale period may yet transform the picture.

But if large areas of Celtic Park remain unsold in the weeks ahead, questions will inevitably be asked.

For now, one thing is certain.

The excitement that normally surrounds the start of pre-season has been replaced by uncertainty.

And with players reporting back to Lennoxtown today, supporters will hope activity on and off the pitch begins to match the ambition expected of a club preparing to defend a league title and compete in the Champions League.