Ross Desmond has told Celtic shareholders that his Dad is a hugely passionate Celtic fan who thinks of the club first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
Some might doubt what goes on in-between times, it is more than a decade since Dermot attended an AGM of the club where he is the biggest individual shareholder.
His title is ‘only’ as a non-executive but one with massive influence, when Ange Postecoglou left Celtic in the summer it was phone calls from Desmond that opened up the prospect of Brendan Rodgers returning as manager, a prospect that seemed highly unlikely just two months earlier.
Desmond bought into Celtic in 1995 then increased his stake when Fergus McCann sold up but has shunned the chance to go hands on, preferring to leave the day to day running to others, mainly Peter Lawwell.
Ross as represented Dad at the last few AGM’s, yesterday he spoke for the first time with the Daily Mail reporting him saying:
My dad grew up a passionate Celtic fan from when he was a young kid. He is a hugely passionate Celtic fan.
It’s the first thing he thinks about when he wakes up, the last thing he thinks about when he goes to sleep.
We don’t consider ourselves shareholders in the club, we’re huge fans and custodians. (Not) in his lifetime, nor in my lifetime, will we be selling our stake in Celtic so it’s not an issue for us.
There seems to be very little trading in Celtic shares with the top table at yesterday’s AGM showing only one change since 2016 with Brian Rose now a non-executive director.
“It would be easier for a rich man camel to pass through the eye of a needle than to enter Paradise (sic).” Life of Riley and golf would come first, I would imagine.
“It’s The First Thing He Thinks About … ”
And There Is One Born Every Minute”
I think somebody said!