GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - OCTOBER 05: Former Celtic Non-Executive Director Willie Haughey (R) and Celtic Chief Executive Officer Michael Nicholson during a William Hill Premiership match between Celtic and Motherwell at Celtic Park, on October 05, 2025, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ross MacDonald/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Willie Haughey has announced that Paul McStay will be the Ambassador for the Celtic Season Ticket Holders Alliance.
April 17 will be the launch date for the venture but beyond that details were light.
Haughey was on Go Radio on Thursday following up on an earlier appearance where he broke the news on the Alliance.
The headline is that Haughey is prepared to spend £10m on shares if 50,000 Season Ticket holders sign up to the Alliance.
Apparently fans only require to provide their name, phone number and email address to become involved.
Haughey will fund the running costs, providing £2m worth of shares for every 10,000 that sign up.
That issue seems vague. The price of shares can vary, there appears to be no-one looking to sell up their shares.
Haughey’s money would go directly to whoever is selling shares. News that there is someone with serious money to buy Celtic shares will only push the price of shares up.
Yesterday Celtic shares were worth £1.91. Since the end of January they have traded between £1.90 and £2. The lowest price in the 12 months was £1.42 exactly a year ago.
HAUGHEY DRIVING FOR CHANGES AT CELTIC
Haughey’s scheme comes on the back of a busy season of Celtic fan groups.
Since this season started there has been the formation of the Celtic Fans Collective and Celtic Supporters Limited.
Despite claims there has been no formal contact between Haughey and the Collective.
With over 400 different supporter groups involved in the Collective they are a significant body.
Haughey’s first target is to get Season Ticket holders into the Alliance. He describes Phase 2 as involving the entire Celtic support.
Haughey said:
Over the last few months I’ve been looking at what’s been going on and if you’ve not got harmony in a business then you’ve got no chance.
And I think some of the stuff has been a distraction over the past few months.
And I’m not saying I don’t agree with a lot of the things that the fans are angry about.
But I think that after last week and the fantastic atmosphere at the stadium and all that, it’ll be killed in two minutes.
I just think that at the moment we need to come up with a better solution for how the fans can get a voice.
I’m going to look at setting something up. I want to set up, I believe that the 54,000 season ticket holders are the core, they’re the heartbeat of Celtic. And I’m going to set up a thing called the Season Ticket Alliance.
And I want 54,000 people, whether you’re in corporate or whether you’re in a director’s box or wherever you are, you’re in the seats or in the standing section, that I’m going to set up an office, a small secretariat. I will pay for it.
I’m not looking for money off of anybody. And what I want to do is I want the 54,000 individuals.
There’ll be more details in the next few weeks, but all we need is either your email address or your mobile phone number.
And then you’ll get a number, you’ll be part of that Season Ticket Alliance.
And what we’d like to do then is if thousands and thousands of people join us, then obviously these thousands and thousands of people between them get some shares. Look at what sort of shares.
I’m trying to get a system where the people can get a voice, but where we can talk to the club sensibly, try and get things done. And what I’m offering is that this will be completely separate.
I will have nothing to do with it, but for every 10,000 fans that join us, I will put £2 million in for them to buy shares for this trust.
So if we take all the shares of the people who would join through the trust, and then we add that to it, if everyone joins, that’s £10million, and they will be gifted to the trust, they’ll not be owned by me.
It’s going to be separate for the trust, but I think that we have to get something that all the fans can get behind.
There is absolutely no doubting Haughey’s credentials as a Celtic fan. He has been very supportive to a number of former players who have fallen on hard times.
He is however a regular in the Celtic Directors Box, pictured sitting alongside Michael Nicholson, Brian Wilson and Chris McKay.
There is no way back for those three Directors in the eyes of many supporters.
Nicholson recruited Mark Lawwell, Paul Tisdale and Wilfried Nancy. He has provided two interviews in almost four years as Celtic CEO, both explaining how brilliant Nancy would be.
Haughey will need to answer a lot of questions at the April 17 launch if the Alliance is to get off the ground and deliver on his expectations.
Yes, a lot more questions than answers.
It’s not clear at all, and the timing is curious.
I hope this gets off the ground asap
Hail Hail
Don’t fall for it.
A serial self promoting corporate lackey attempting to split the collective and ensure ST renewal.
Commendable helping ex players during hard times Willie but you told the world!!!!
A sincere man does it in silence.
Absolutely Shug.
Those who speak do not know.
Those who know do not speak.
Another half arsed scheme just like the one he backed when Fergus was taking control ,nobody is selling shares and anyone who would would sit tight and sell at the whiff of a takeover
it’s little on detail and that’s the whole point there is no plan just an idea that dosen’t have an answer even on paper
Season Tickets the most undemocratic way of ‘supporting’ Celtic – like signing up for the Titanic.
Paying in advance to rescind the right to Vote With Your Feet.
This organisation seems to want any shares that the members already own from what he’s saying and they’ll add to them if possible. So if you’re already a small shareholder you lose your shares and possibly your vote to the organisation. More information is needed. There’s no doubting Lord Haughey’s philanthropic credentials and the help he has given to former players. As has been said already, how can you buy shares if there are none available ? and he doesn’t seem to want rid of the present board who have messed up on the football front. You have 54k plus shareholders how do you have an AGM ?
it’s up there with jim kerrs plan
I’m not buying – While Lucan and Sly Guy are there !
If we’re anti-establishment.
What’s Wullie.