GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - FEBRUARY 01: Celtic fans hold a banner with Chief Financial Officer Christopher McKay, Security Operations Mark Hargreaves and Celtic Chief Executive Michael Nicholson (L-R) reading "Banish the Traitors, End the Bans" during a William Hill Premiership match between Celtic and Falkirk at Celtic Park, on February 01, 2026, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Martin O’Neill is looking for a speedy end to the stand off with the suspended Green Brigade.
The Ultras group were in place for O’Neill’s first return match, at home to Falkirk on October 29 but have since been suspended.
Interim Chairman Brian Wilson was meeting with the Celtic Fans Collective at the same time as O’Neill faced the media.
O’NEILL BUILT THE MODERN CELTIC PARK
Twenty plus years ago O’Neill turned Celtic Park into a caldron as the club sampled the Champions League for the first time.
Opponents were cowered by the wall of sound and emotion that greeted them but a generation later things are much changed.
Roma and Utrecht fans have outsung Celtic fans in recent months with Stuttgart guaranteed of having noisy backing from their fans.
At his media conference O’Neill said:
I think there has been some discussions, of which I obviously wasn’t party to. But I hear that there might think that there’s been some progress made. But as I’ve been saying this here, the sooner that there is unity at Celtic Park, the better for all concerned.
I have no doubt at all that the crowd behind the goal on Sunday contributed greatly to us fighting back in the game. No question about that.
As O’Neill highlighted, without the fans it is unlikely that Celtic would have recovered from trailing 2-0 at Kilmarnock.
Memories of the 20/21 Lockdown season remain fairly fresh.
From the start of the second half at Rugby Park Celtic had the backing of 4,000 fans packed behind one goal.
When Sebastian Tounekti sent a 25 yard drive into the net the scene was set for an epic recovery/ Ben Nygren equalised within 10 minutes.
At the 90th minute barely any Celtic fans left the ground.
They were rewarded with something special in the 97th minute thanks to Julian Araujo.
The Mexican was restricted to one League Cup tie in the first five months at Bournemouth.
Late one Sunday afternoon he was jumping in among Celtic fans to celebrate a win in Ayrshire.
On Sunday Celtic face Hibs at home in the SPFL. Araujo and others will be hoping that the vocal backing from the Green Brigade will be back again for the title run in.
All Celtic fans are looking out for an update from this afternoon’s meeting with the Collective.
Can’t see them risking it v Stuttgart as it’s Europe…
But surely all back in for Hibernian on Sunday is feasible…
But Lucan and the ex cop are still ‘clinging’ around Parkhead !