Soccer Football - Scottish Cup - Final - Celtic v Rangers - Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - May 25, 2024 Celtic fans in the stands Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
John Paul Taylor has a very busy inbox with fans very unhappy about the stadium conditions that they were presented with on Friday night.
There has been a number of issues involving movement across the stadium with most of it surrounding younger fans wanting to be involved at the north-east corner of the stadium where the Green Brigade are housed.
That area is almost a Closed Shop, requests to relocate behind the goal at the Jock Stein Lower have yet to be addressed by the club.
In order to deal with fans wanting to watch from the North East the club seems to have gone to incredible lengths with huge mental barriers appearing on the concourses alongside a massively increased security presence.
Appreciate all the feedback from Friday re new crowd management measures at North & Lisbon Lions Stands.
I’ll share all of this with the Club as part of the planning for Wednesday’s match against Kairat
— CELTIC FC SLO (@CelticFCSLO) August 17, 2025
Communication seems to have been minimal, there are some claims that an email was sent to certain Season Ticket holders but the message certainly didn’t get through.
Celtic have umpteen social media platforms with hundreds of thousands of followers, they aren’t slow to push the latest commercial offers from kits and merchandise to virtual pitch certificates where fans can own a plot of fresh air above the pitch.
Friday’s actions caused a lot of disruption, surely the club could have decked Gerry McCulloch out in the latest kit to explain what was happening and shared it on the club channels.
It is safer to have fans arrive early, having 40,000 appearing 15 minutes before kick-off creates crushing and pressure. Encouraging fans to arrive early makes sense, providing them with things to do seems logical.
With Wifi dubious in the stadium fans do old fashioned things like walking to meet friends, buying over-priced food or go to the club outlets. Some even place bets.
Now it appears that movement will be very limited, no more walking 20-30 yards to chat with pals at other areas of the stadium.
SLO Taylor seems caught in the middle, the messenger to relay issues to club executives where they seem to disappear without trace.
In March an email address was set up to deal with issues relating to the kettling of fans on London Road before the March 16 Glasgow Derby, so far Celtic has yet to even release an interim comment on how the investigation is progressing.
Another example of taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut!
said it before, theres an industry developed around stewarding/policing at football grounds. Some people making money from it and the ordinary football fan suffers as a result.
Who owns the companies that supply stewards?— Eddie Toner (@eddie_toner) August 17, 2025
The “ crowd management “ measures actually make everyone feel less safe, it was appalling. Who thinks up this stuff???? 115 is full of families with kids guaranteed more than a few won’t be back. Sat in there for over 12 seasons with zero issues until now.
— Roy (@Airthreycastle3) August 17, 2025
Completely unacceptable JP..
Endangered many lives..
Ibrox, Heysel, Hillsborough, Bradford…
Salient LESSONS in the need for crowd protection @CelticFC shamelessly & in a hissy fit,exposed many fans to danger on Friday..
It’s unacceptable
The club lacks intelligence!— Rory MacLeod (@OnThe4and) August 17, 2025
Absolutely shambles, celticfc totally not got a clue when it comes to fans, we are not longer fans,we are a £ sign and nothing more, think its time for a modern board to go with the times we are now in, another thing get off the green brigades backs, cunts u are.
— chrismac1888 (@chrismac1888) August 17, 2025
it’s wholly anti-social, DITCH it asap please
— Tony Cassidy (@TonyCassidy123) August 17, 2025
No Celtic end for GB and Bhoys
Women’s manager not sacked at 15 behind
Constant price increases
£25 for Newcastle game
No ST freebies for £700+
Stadium banners incomplete and dull
Zero main stand improvements
Standing section treated like Alcatraz
Zero communication from tbe club— Celtic OK (@CelticOK) August 17, 2025
Time for fresh and effective leaders! pic.twitter.com/hlxTXu6hSj
— Lisbonpilgrim ? (@Estadio_Jamor) August 17, 2025
Was that monstrous concourse barrier approved by Heakth and Safety Exec ? And Fire Service ?
— TomMcAdamNo5 (@McAdamNo5) August 17, 2025
Fans were almost killed the last time a metal barrier was introduced as crowd control measure at Celtic Park in the North stand walkway.
What on earth was the club thinking introducing something similar internally inside the stadium completely unannounced?
Major safety issue.
— ?? ? (@p_bov1) August 17, 2025
Can you also please pass on the fact that thousands of ST holders, like me, have boycotted the Newcastle, Falkirk and CLQ match as these games used to be included in your ST.
The club are bleeding the fans dry. It’s disgusting!— Billy Bhoy (@BillyBhoy3) August 17, 2025
Have they got answers about this yet? pic.twitter.com/OcTS1gXo49
— keithr5808 (@keithr58088) August 17, 2025
Celtic Football Club is becoming an embarrassment due to the actions and decisions of the Board and club hierarchy.
Now would be an opportune time for CEO Nicholson to break his vow of silence?
He could explain to his paying customers why their treatment is not at all “world class”,
…and what HE is going to do about it…?
He’s going to do nothing because the Celtic fans turn up in droves ,and buy merchandise and STs no matter how they get treated,ie gullible idiots.when will we ever learn.
I have to agree with your sentiments Jim.
Was not at the Falkirk game so can’t comment but I do think the club are losing the plot with stewarding in general. The stewards in general do not have a clue as to their job, their positioning is random and for what it is worth, particularly regard the Green Brigade and standing area, the directors need to find a way to establish a plan that works for all instead of the continual battle that does not do the Football Club any good.
Official statement from the board of Celtic F.C,
Give us your money. Now F**K OFF!
That is it in a nutshell Tony B but how do the fans react to this treatment from the board? Like gullible fucking brainless sheep,and this board know their stuff,they know the Celtic fans will never revolt,but that is what’s needed,how long do we put up with this like toothless tigers.
Celtic have always treated fans like shit,let’s go back through time 60/70 had to queue for hrs to purchase tickets no facilities open to fans.
70/80/90/ still no facilities for fans queuing for tickets for European nights,left in what ever weather happened to be that day,2000 onwards funny nothing changed still no facilities for fans, apart from ST,Food and drink prices going up.Took away Free first European game,one Friendly and first game of Season +discount from shops when purchasing merchandise.The Board don’t give a F#+*”K about us,once they get our money,not helped any by thousands on waiting lists to buy ST.
Time to wake up and start to hurt this shower of selfish greedy unelected trash a lesson,hurt them in there pockets,HAVE NEVER STOOD TRYING TO GET A TICKET or PAID to FOLOW TEAM in Scotland or EUROPE
How much is this so called waiting list ,put up by the board to scare people into not renewing their STs ,is there any proof of this massive waiting list apart from what liewell and the board tell us.
They (The Board) see it as – “Fans without Football are Nothing” !
play off game is near sold out
north east section is invaded every game
the plc has to take action to comply with h and s
Saint stivs ,therein lies the problem,game is sold out,board rubbing there hands in glee,sums up the Celtic fans moan like fuck about the board but turn up as usual like a lot of sheep, couldn’t fuckin make it up.
That is it in a nutshell Tony B but how do the fans react to this treatment from the board? Like gullible fucking brainless sheep,and this board know their stuff,they know the Celtic fans will never revolt,but that is what’s needed,how long do we put up with this like toothless tigers.