Celtic's relationship with one of its most vocal supporter groups has broken down in public. The Green Brigade, the club's ultras, have announced plans to boycott Celtic's non-Premiership matches, a step that escalates a dispute with the board. In a statement, the group said "the disconnect between those who control Celtic and those who support it has never felt greater".
How the row started
The trigger was a protest at the Alfred Dunhill Links golf tournament in St Andrews, where Dermot Desmond, Celtic's largest shareholder, was the target. Celtic responded by threatening an indefinite ban on anyone "established to be involved in planning, facilitating or participating" in the incident. The club also said it would no longer recognise the Celtic Fans Collective as a representative body. That group is a coalition of supporter groups, and the Green Brigade belongs to it.
The Green Brigade called the club's latest statement "irrational" and "another attack on supporters", saying it showed the club's "utter disdain" for them. They also said their members had nothing to do with the events in St Andrews, though they praised those who were behind the stunt. They said that under Desmond's influence a "dark cloud" lingers over the club, creating an "increasingly unsustainable environment".
What a boycott would mean
A boycott of non-Premiership matches leaves out everything except the league, which would take in the domestic cup competitions and European nights. The statement quoted by the BBC does not say how long the action would last. The Green Brigade occupy a standing section at Celtic Park, so on any night they stay away, the gap will be easy to see.
Where it goes from here
What happens next depends on the board. The club has taken a hard line, withdrawing recognition from the Fans Collective and threatening bans, and the Green Brigade has answered with a boycott rather than a retreat. Neither side's public language suggests a quick settlement.
For now the argument is being fought through statements, and the boycott is the first step that would be visible on matchdays. Whether other supporters join it, or the club softens its position, is not something the BBC report addresses.
Context: The Green Brigade is Celtic's ultras group and a member of the Celtic Fans Collective. Dermot Desmond is the club's largest shareholder. Source: BBC Sport Scotland.
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