Wheels have come off the wagon in the past 18 months- Record reporter backs the anger of Celtic fans

Michael Gannon has backed the Celtic supporters frustrated by the apparent priority of building up the club’s bank balance rather than improving the first team squad.

This week Chairman Peter Lawwell will announce the Interim Financial Results for the second half of 2023, starting with £72m resting in the bank the new balance could be in or around the £100m mark.

Meanwhile eight points dropped since the start of December suggests that Brendan Rodgers is facing a losing battle trying to win a third successive title which gives access to the revamped Champions League and a pay day in the region of £30-50m.

The January transfer window resulted in a net spend of less than £1m. Before during and after Saturday’s draw at Aberdeen there were chants against the Celtic board from the away support.

Discovering another boost to finances this week won’t go down well, writing in the Daily Record Gannon states the case for the frustration and anger of many Celtic fans:

There were some outstanding transfer fees and wages to be paid out during that time but unless they’ve been quietly doing a ton of DIY around Celtic Park and Lennoxtown, there should still be a right whack of cash in the coffers. And that’s why the timing of the elevation will be telling. Celtic fans want to know why their money is not being spent.

Because that’s how they see it. Celtic made plenty from Europe and player sales, but the vast majority of their incomings come from the pockets of the punters. Selling out season tickets, snapping up Champions League briefs, buying the countless strips released, even the ones that look like they’ve been designed by nursery kids after a sugar rush.

Celtic fans get called entitled by rivals, and even by some inside the club, but that is why they feel entitled. What happened to reinvesting every penny back on to the pitch? Listen, financially, Celtic are one of the best run clubs in the world. Good luck finding any side on the planet with dosh in the bank and the player trading model has worked a treat.

Yet there are signs the wheels have come off the wagon in the past 18 months. Future proofing against not making the Champions League is like saying there’s no point in fixing the roof because you might need the dosh for slates if there’s a storm.

Eighteen months covers the four transfer windows controlled by Mark Lawwell during which it is difficult to make a strong case for a genuine upgrade in players brought in.

A year ago Alistair Johnston was flying, Josip Juranovic had been replaced with ease but this season’s version of Johnston is barely recognisable from last season’s arrival, straight from the World Cup Finals in Qatar

In the summer of 2022 Ben Siegrist, Alexandro Bernabei, Sead Haksabanovic, Moritz Jenz and Oliver Abildgaard were signed up, none were included in this season’s Champions League squad.

Already this season Kwon Hyeok-kyu and Marco Tilio have been signed and sent out on loan without starting a competitive match.

Whenever the Interim Results are announced, whether the bank balance has reached £100m or not the main interest of supporters is over what is happening, or not happening on the pitch as a succession of poor results open up a title race.

On 10 February last year Peter Lawwell announced a profit of £33.9m for the first half on the 22/23 season with most of the profit coming from appearing in the Champions League group phase.