GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 21: Celtic Head Coach Wilfried Nancy (R) shows Callum McGregor a tactics board during a William Hill Premiership match between Celtic and Aberdeen at Celtic Park, on December 21, 2025, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Two late goals from Kieran Tierney and James Forrest delivered a first Celtic win for Wilfried Nancy.
With the clock on 87 minutes the scoreline was 1-1 with the Frenchman staring at another bleak outcome.
Ben Nygren opened the scoring in the 39th minute with Aberdeen down to 10 men when Dylan Lobban was sent off in stoppage time.
Celtic had dominated the first half but were wasteful around goal. All of the forwards were guilty with the consolation being how easily the Aberdeen defence was opened up.
Nygren and Arne Engels came into the Starting XI with Nancy sticking with his highly criticised 3-4-3 system.
Celtic pounded the Dons goal at the start of the second half, hitting the woodwork on four occasions.
Out of nowhere the visitors broke, in the 74th minute Kenan Bilalovic was sent through one on one with Kasper Schmeichel and found the net.
CELTIC FIGHTBACK
The Celtic support was stunned. It looked ominous for the new manager on the back of four successive defeats.
Celtic continued to create and miss chances but that changed in the 88th minute.
Substitute Colby Donovan crossed from the right, Shin Yamada and Daizen Maeda missed the ball but Tierney headed in at the back post.
The relief was obvious. In stoppage time Forrest turned the ball into the net from eight yards out.
The result leaves Celtic six points behind Hearts with a game in hand.
On Saturday Hearts are away to Hibs with Celtic travelling through to Livingston.
That match is followed by a trip to third placed Motherwell, the last match before the transfer window opens.
After the summer transfer window supporters are looking for decisive action to strengthen the squad. In season 21/22 Celtic announced the signings of Maeda, Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi on December 31.
A similar boost is required this season with all eyes on Michael Nicholson and Paul Tisdale to deliver.
Listen I’m no fan of Nancy, but like the last game, that nearly buried him , nobody bailed him out . Poor forward finishing, and inadequate players nearly buried him.
There is no denying the way Nancy is playing.is creating chances .
The fact that our forward line fail to take them is not on him .
I’ve not seen us creating so many.GOOD chances in a game for months
To me today it looked a bit like the players were buying into him .
I was over the moon.he got the 3 points today
And I.know it was against 10 men. But we could have scored 10 today
I listened on the radio and heard Wullie Miller and Pat say ‘ive never seen anything like it’ on multiple occasions. The draw, and the gulliotine might have fell but im glad for him and the players they have a little bit of respite for Xmas. Dont doubt they will see off Livingston then the big test will be Fir Park. Win there and they could take Danny Rhols strugglers apart on the 3rd but literally anything could happen in both games. Win all the games and he could have a fighting chance if johnston and sarrachi back and if they can bring a striker with some celtic magic dust.
I suspect some of us might end up with some egg on our faces.
We turned into entitled Sevco supporters in a matter of 2 games.
Any manager anywhere deserves time.
If it were Guardiola or Ancelloti that lost 4 on the bounce would we have been calling for their heads?
There are signs that what he’s trying to do will bring great football, he just doesn’t have the tools at the moment.
I’m with Wilf.
It embarrassing how entitled so many of my fellow Celtic supporters seem to be. The man was being told to GTF inside two weeks of taking the job. That is shameful conduct. The kind of conduct we expect from the bears.
Joe rips on the legacy media yet uses a legacy type headline for his article. How can we take Joe seriously when he is so prejudiced against a manager who has only managed 5 games. He has criticised Wilf over his English. Well I listened to his post match conference today and he spoke fine English to my ears.
As other commenters have said here Wilf wasn’t bailed out. He was let down by players missing sitters. We played some good stuff today albeit need to tighten up at the back. I think he can come good. Their will be further setbacks as we’re in a period of transition.
Editor: He is only here because of a clown that managed Exeter City for 12 years. You need the sharpest of English to survive the dressing room culture. Hurry back to Celtic Thick News to share the adulation for the outgoing Chairman.
Glad the monkey is finally off his back for our sakes and his…
But it was mightily close…
It’s appalling the easy misses as well – Hopefully resolved soon !