Greg Taylor’s departure in the summer is still lamented by some of us. He was the perfect example of how to develop a player. He arrived from Kilmarnock at the same time as Boli Bolingoli, expected to be backup but quickly established himself as first choice, a position he held until departing six years later.
Had he stayed, he would have played more football for Celtic than he has at PAOK so far this season, but it was right for him to move on.
Marcelo Saracchi has been an eye opener for a few of us. South Americans have tended to take a while to settle here. If this Marcelo settling, he will push Kieran for the starting spot this season.
Speak to people in the game, they still tell you the whole world is looking for left backs. It is a specialised job only 10% of the population can apply for. Marcelo will probably move on when his loan ends in the summer, but he has shown is the level to which we need to aspire.
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Here’s a copy of the minutes that isn’t a cut and paste job.
https://cdn.celticfc.com/assets/Fan_Meeting_Minutes_6th_October_Celtic_091025_Final.pdf
Question 3: What accountability measures are in place for repeated failures in transfer dealings?
Accountability to fans in relation to transfer activity was discussed, with MN noting that the executive and footballing teams are accountable to the Celtic plc board. MN restated the importance of maintaining confidentiality regarding transfer dealings, but noted the desire for further communication regarding strategy and would take this forward.
The Celtic Fans Collective sought commitments from the Club regarding disclosure and transparency of internal review processes and future improvements, and sought to clarify if any individuals will be removed from their position following the summer transfer window. CMcK stated that the Club would not communicate on the detail of individuals’ performance. MN reiterated that it was accepted that the Club did not meet some its objectives in the most recent window, and that the Club would carry out an internal review and implement learnings moving forward. PQ asked whether the Club can take broad lessons and then outline what these are. CMcK stated that the Club will think about how best it can communicate. Frustration was expressed that “we will look at this and come back to you” is the “same old story” and further that it is not just a question of communications, it is a matter of what will change. Whilst specific details regarding review processes and future improvements could not be shared to the extent requested due to the importance of maintaining the confidentiality of Club operations and not prejudicing its position within the market, MN committed to the continued review of fan communications with a view to providing further information to supporters in an appropriate manner.
Discussion then turned to the accountability measures currently in place within the Celtic plc Board. The Celtic Fan Collective noted the tenure of a number of non-executive directors and the election of the Club’s former Chief Executive as Chairman, noting that many within the group believe that this is not appropriate from a Corporate Governance perspective. Other supporters echoed these comments, noting the designated maximum tenure in line with the UK Corporate Governance Code. Supporters also highlighted the importance of independence, asking if it was believed all NEDs remained independent notwithstanding their length of service.
CMcK advised that the Club adopts the QCA Code, which now requires all Board members to stand for election annually at the Celtic plc AGM. MN added that the matter of independence is also assessed by the Board as part of the annual board governance process. He also noted that whilst he recognised some supporters believe individuals have been in their role for too long, there was value in maintaining stability and experience in a sector as volatile as football.
The view was expressed that the last increase in ST prices when the Club has money in the bank and there is a cost-of-living crisis shows there is not meaningful engagement. Also, the manager had criticised the transfer strategy and the Club Captain had said that we need bodies.
Ticket pricing was discussed within the context of wider fan engagement and consultation, with Supporter Group representatives noting that recent UEFA match prices for concession tickets (£45) were unacceptable. The rationale for this pricing was requested. CMcK confirmed that pricing was in-line with both the Club’s pricing for both UEFA Champions League ‘League Phase’ matches and matches against Rangers FC last season. CMcK said this offered value to season ticket holders. CMcK also noted that the Club’s four-match package for Season Ticket Holders is the cheapest UEFA Europa League package in the UK. MGi asked that the Club consider a concession price for Europa League tickets outside the package uptake. CMcK confirmed that the Club will continue to look at pricing and take supporter feedback into account.
RB said that explanations given by the Club at the meeting mirrored information already provided at a fan forum earlier in the year, and this prompted concerns that fan input wasn’t being taken seriously and would undermine representatives when feeding back to their members.
The Collective described this as another example of the Club’s disconnect from its fan base, stressing that working-class supporters should not bear the financial burden of poor board decisions.
Watching Scotland is worse than Watching celtic…by a mile…..am I missing something in Ben Doak ?
Question 4: How do you intend to modernise the Club’s structure to compete in Europe, and why are we consistently unprepared for qualification stages?
MN stated that the Club did not accept the premise of the question. Further, MN noted that the Club had appointed Paul Tisdale as the Head of Football Operations, a new position for 6 the Club, last year, and had also created a new role of Professional Pathway Manager for Darren O’Dea. After Darren O’Dea left, the Club had appointed Shaun Maloney in this role.
Supporter Groups also reiterated their desire for continued communication and engagement so that the wider supporter base understand the steps the Club is taking to develop its strategy, it being noted that some supporters do not believe that current arrangements (e.g. B Team, no reserve league) are suitable, and highlighting the loss of youth players to English teams at a young age. MN noted that this was a good example of the transfer factors discussed earlier, and that the increased movement of youth players to England is linked to Brexit, which led to the UK being ‘locked out’ of European markets, and Scotland locked in a market with England. MN and CMcK explained that these changes had been a factor in developing the new roles of Head of Football Operations and Professional Pathway Manager and to undertake the recent development of the Club’s Barrowfield facility. MN highlighted that these developments all tie into the longer-term strategy to develop players going forward.
The Club were asked to confirm who is responsible for conducting football transfers – including if the Chief Executive and CFO were directly involved in the same. Supporter Groups also sought confirmation as to who ‘values’ players and agrees commercial terms. CMcK explained that a multi-disciplinary approach is taken. This approach is led by the football department who identify players, with the executive team concluding transactions. This was noted by MN as not being unusual within football clubs. JG asked if the football manager sanctioned all signings, MN confirmed that he did. MGe asked why the Manager referred to some signings as ‘club signings’ – MN shrugged his shoulders.
Discussion turned to the valuation of players. MN and CMcK explained how the process operates, and which factors are considered – including the needs of the selling (or buying) Club, the player’s personal desires, time left on the players’ contract etc. When asked about applicable ‘ceiling’ on player costs, MN confirmed that valuations forms part of the overall discussion regarding a player and the evaluation of said player against all relevant factors and relative prices within the wider market.
Supporter Groups questioned the involvement of NEDs within the transfer process. CMcK and MN confirmed that player trading above certain financial values require approval from the Celtic plc Board (with such approval thresholds are standard practice amongst businesses). Supporter Groups questioned how this approval was sought and CMcK confirmed board members would be emailed for final approval but would be aware of the background in advance.
The meeting discussed the Head of Football Operations role and the recruitment thereof, with confirmation sought as to whether a recruitment process was followed and if other candidates were interviewed, whether there was any pre-existing connection between the Clubs’ current Head of Football Operations and any Celtic plc board members and whether the football manager was involved.
CMcK confirmed that the Club spoke with several potential candidates that had been identified but that there was no external recruitment consultancy appointed. MN confirmed that there was no family or business connection between the current Head of Football Operations and Celtic plc board members, but that individuals had crossed paths previously. MN confirmed that the manager supported the recruitment of Paul Tisdale following a consultancy period last summer. CMcK confirmed that Paul Tisdale had worked on a project in which he analysed the Club’s game model with a view to mapping the Club’s playing style and system with a view to using data driven results to identify players who fit the Club’s model.
Tabloid News Story
MGe raised serious concerns regarding the alleged leak to The Sun, and it was suggested this was a grave breach of trust and professionalism. The Club was asked to address this following the summer transfer window, which the Football Manager had commented on publicly. When asked why no formal investigation had been launched. MN noted that allegation was based on an unnamed source allegedly speaking to an unnamed source at the Club. There is a lot of speculation printed in the tabloid press. The matter had been discussed with the Board and with the Football Manager and the matter was closed. CMcK said all board members had been asked about the article, and there was no basis for further investigation. CMcK also mentioned that the newspaper source was a ‘senior figure’ which may not necessarily have been a board member. The Football Manager confirmed that the matter was closed in his next press conference. MN noted that the Board understands the importance of confidentiality. When asked why the Club had not taken legal action against the newspaper, MN confirmed that the Club would not take legal action in relation to speculation and said that the Club was “busy enough as it is”. CFC reps argued that this approach was dismissive of a concern of fans.
vinniethedog
Nearly won a corner for us there…..
“MN confirmed that the manager supported the recruitment of Paul Tisdale following a consultancy period last summer. CMcK confirmed that Paul Tisdale had worked on a project in which he analysed the Club’s game model with a view to mapping the Club’s playing style and system with a view to using data driven results to identify players who fit the Club’s model”.
So maybe Tisdale identified the “club signings” the manager won’t play🤔
Question 5: When will supporters receive the results of the ‘fan survey’ conducted over a year ago, and why have these not yet been released despite being in the Club’s possession for several months?
The meeting discussed the Celtic ‘Fan Survey’ conducted in summer 2024, and the timelines for publication of the same. MN confirmed that a report outlining the outputs of this survey will be released by the Club soon, noting that key issues which the Club wishes to consult on further included supporter engagement and safe standing. The supporters expressed concern that the delay undermines transparency and accountability. The Club indicated the survey would be published in October. KMcQ noted that the volume of data and the number of open ended questions in the survey resulted in an initial set out outputs that were not suitable for public release due to the complexity. The reasons behind this were discussed, together with the need to engage a third party to format the results in a manner suitable for public release. KMcQ confirmed that the final report will seek to ensure that the data is presented in a clearer, understandable and useable format. KMcQ acknowledged that a number of learnings have been taken from the initial Fan Survey, and the Club would take a different approach if it were to conduct such a survey again. These learnings will be taken into consideration when planning any future or similar engagement of this type. The delay in publication was also discussed, with KMcQ highlighting that many of the questions put forward in the Fan Survey are not time-dependant as they relate to stadium infrastructure, match day experience etc. Notwithstanding this, there was an acknowledgement that fan sentiment had changed which may impact people’s views on the Club at this time. KT acknowledged the humility shown by KMcQ in addressing this and supporters expressed this as being entirely different to how other discussions had proceeded and reflected the approach supporters hoped to see when discussing other aspects of the Club.
Dialogue regarding the Fan Survey were also linked to discussions regarding the Club’s Digital Strategy and the development of a club app. It was noted that some of the colleagues involved in the Fan Survey are also involved in such other projects. This gave rise to questions from Supporter Groups regarding resourcing within the Club, and if a lack of resource is, in part, why the Club is seen to be ‘under pressure’ in several areas. MN noted that several projects were being progressed across the Club and confirmed that the Club has been, and is currently, undertaking an operational review to ensure that the correct resources and structures are in place.
https://x.com/ScottishFootyFC/status/1975666115310461183?t=jaKEfjXMhZ5VEjPoLAeLGw&s=19
Spoiler alert – there are only 5 questions, so anyone hoping Nicholson, McKay and proxy’s for Lawwell and DD tender their resignations at the end of the meeting will be disappointed.
Sorry.
Dreaadfull !!!!!!!!!!.Greece playing while eating Moussaka.
Words you never want to hear.
“The views of the fans on this matter,
will be taken into account and discussed at full Board level.🤐🤐🤐🤐🤐🤐
” We will continue to look at pricing,and the fans views will be taken into account. 😅😅😅😅
Question 6: Why have the results of the Fairhurst Inquiry not been made public, and what action will the Club take to protect supporters from unlawful and disproportionate policing in the future?
The meeting discussed the report produced by Fairhurst in respect of the incident on 16 March. The Report was criticised by MGe on the basis that the language used was ‘soft’ and did not give a fair overview of the incident, nor did it have any clear conclusions. This was compared to the more emotive language used in statements or comments regarding fan behaviour. MN noted these comments and explained that the Club had engaged Fairhurst to collate the feedback from supporters and that the language used in the report was based on the feedback received. The purpose of the report was to pull the feedback together so that the Club could present it to Police Scotland, which is what the Club has done. MN noted that the Club has made it clear that it shares the concerns raised by fans regarding the events of 16 March. MN confirmed that the Club has shared comments directly with Police Scotland and that a meeting has been requested to discuss.
MGe requested that a representative from one of the groups in attendance (FAC rep in particular) join the meeting between Police Scotland and the Club. MH confirmed that this would be requested, but that it would be for Police Scotland to confirm. MN and MH committed to making this request. JA suggested police would be open to meeting with supporters and have expressed desire to do this previously. MGa said there was no need for Club to ask for permission and expected Club to be more forceful with police re fan representation. MGe requested that if Police Scotland decline this that the Club challenge this publicly.
There was a further discussion regarding the specifics of the events on, and leading up to, 16 March, including Police Scotland’s engagement with the Celtic Supporters Club on London Road. JG witnessed the events first-hand and acknowledged the severity of the police actions – he made clear he was not affiliated to GB or any other supporter within the kettle. He also discussed the unprecedented attention his premises had received from Police Scotland in the run up to the weekend. It was highlighted by MM that there has been an uneasy and uncomfortable relationship between the Club and the Police for many years, therefore a fan representative being part of this meeting is important for fans. MN confirmed that one of the Club’s objectives from this exercise is to improve relations between the Club, the supporters, and Police Scotland. 8 MH confirmed the proposed meeting is likely to take place at the end of October. MH will request that Police Scotland permit a fan representative to attend.
Creation of a Fan Advisory Board
The Celtic Fan Collective raised the question of a ‘Fan Advisory Board’ or similar, with PQ asking if this was something the Club had considered. PQ suggested that would allow for fan representatives within the Club and facilitate two-way consultation. The Club were asked to confirm their position on this.
MN confirmed that this is a matter that the Club is aware of and has been considering. Supporters requested a clear timeline and structure for consultation; the Club said they would come back on this point. This is linked to questions on the Fans Forum in the Fan Survey, and the Club has been looking at these structures as part of its broader supporter engagement development, considering the changing legislative landscape in England and Scotland, as well 10 as the Club’s status as a public listed company. MN also confirmed that Club had met with the Celtic Trust regarding their survey.
GC then explained the review the Club are currently undertaking – which includes identifying Clubs (West Ham and Manchester United were mentioned) operating similar structures and examining who is on such boards, how individuals are elected, and what Terms of Reference apply, amongst other factors. GC confirmed that the Club will be speaking with other clubs to get direct feedback, and an overview of how such structures are working in practice. The Board would consider these issues further.
Review of Non-Executive Directors
PQ suggested that an external review of Non-Executive Directors on the Board is required. MN said he will take that suggestion to the Board.
Closing
All attendees were thanked for their time. Representatives from several Supporter Groups noted that they will now need to feed back to their respective organisations before outlining any proposed next steps. PQ closed by reiterating fans unhappiness at how the meeting had gone and felt as though responses to almost all queries were unsatisfactory. Discussions were candid and wide-ranging but ultimately failed to produce any concrete outcomes or commitments from the Club.
PQ explained that the meeting had been disappointing to fan reps in attendance and that no meaningful progress had been made. CFC would report back to signatory organisations.
MN acknowledged the frustrations amongst attendees insofar as the Club was unable to offer direct answers to some questions due to confidentiality. MN reaffirmed the Club’s commitment to reviewing supporter engagement and communication, as well as safe standing and the Fairhurst review.
MN reiterated that the Club wants to find a way forward and offered further meetings with supporters’ groups going forward to continue dialogue
One way traffic at Hampden at the moment
Need the GCC to slow things down
Hickey, who has been crap, goes back to being the best injured right back in the world
‘Creation of a Fan Advisory Board’
FAB?
”
“Ralston,get stripped”.We are gonny get beat,quick,get an escaped goat on”
Put a Cycle lane in.
This Scotland game is awful, feel sorry for the paying public!
Well at one down, an outswinging corner finds Ralston outside the box, Tony R lofts the ball back towards the goal, gets a slight deflection and Christy ends up putting it in the net. 1-1
Seems like the deflection I mentioned is deemed a deliberate act hence playing the Scottish forwards onside.
Well there you go, goal counts
saint stivs
October 9, 2025 9:19 pm
£45 and no concessions
comment image
https://media1.tenor.com/m/Jx34T4ASnpEAAAAC/partridge-i-dont-know.gif
Lewis Ferguson makes it 2-1. Hard to believe
Good free kick from wide right from Andy R into the mixer, breaks for Ferguson, six yards out, hammers it into the net
quick fact check. copied fom elsewhere –
what a brilliant strategic imperative that Celtic plc has qualified for European competition in 19 out of 20 seasons.
———–
Champions League – Qualified 10 times
– 5x automatic qualification
– 5x qualified (Final qualifier wins v Spartak, Helsinborgs, Karagandy, Hapoel, Astana)
– 9x failed to qualify (lost to Arsenal, Braga, Legia/Maribor, Malmo, AEK, Cluj, Ferencvaros, Midtjylland, Kairat)
Europa League – Qualified 9 times
– 4x automatic qualification after being knocked out of CL qualifying
– 4x qualified after being knocked out of CL qualifying
– 1x qualified after being pumped by Sion, but getting in when UEFA voided the result
Didn’t qualify – x1 – Knocked out of both the CL and the EL qualifiers (Braga/Utrecht)
KT and Dykes coming on. Lets see if we can hold out for ten minutes
or better still get another goal
I can’t say I’ve ever made this observation since my teenage years. Scotland are better than Celtic. We have the whole world to choose from and we can’t do better than what is, ahem, in our back yard.
Six minutes added.
Greeks technically very good, but Scotland playing better now and offering occasional threat
That said great save from Gunn
Greek goalie bearing gifts
Dykes takes advantage and the ball and brilliant finish
3-1 Scotland
Oh dear….
SAINT STIVS on 7TH OCTOBER 2025 5:14 PM
“what about this line …………….
When pressed on accountability for failings, the Club rejected the premise of the question
but referred to internal reviews and the experience of long-serving Non-Executive Directors.
so having non-execs in place unchallenged for 20 years is a good thing according to them.
ffs.
get them all out”.
Compare and contrast what was actually minuted
I’ll say no more, but don’t forget to like and subscribe 👍
“Review of Non-Executive Directors
“PQ suggested that an external review of Non-Executive Directors on the Board is required.
MN said he will take that suggestion to the Board”.
A victory which for a while looked unlikely
but it just goes to show, as we did at the weekend, that spirit can sometimes see you through
Silver City 1888 on 9th October 2025 9:34 pm
I can’t say I’ve ever made this observation since my teenage years. Scotland are better than Celtic. We have the whole world to choose from and we can’t do better than what is, ahem, in our back yard.
—————–
whisper it, and for a long-time, celtic academy and/or transfers makes up most of the Scotland team.
I started watching 5 minutes before our second goal. I will understand if other people hold a different opinion.
Tony Ralston turns the game
The Blogger Formerly Known As GM on 9th October 2025 9:47 pm
both sides had to agree to the minutes.
celtic choose leagal department.
i think what was said has been put out before the minutes,
doesnt matter,
Nic is toast – that shoulder shrug will condemn him.
Tony Maldini.
Oh it matters a great deal.
It was yet more made up pish to suit the agenda of a few.
McCann just blamed Tony for the Greek goal!