GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MAY 17: Celtic Chairman Peter Lawwell, Majority Shareholder Dermot Desmond, and Chief Executive Officer Michael Nicholson (L-R) during a William Hill Premiership match between Celtic and St Mirren at Celtic Park, on May 17, 2025, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Alan Harvey/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Dermot Desmond’s third round at the Dunhill Cup at St Andrews was halted by tennis ball protests this afternoon.
The Celtic Fans Collective released a video of the incident.
The wealthy Irish businessman is the biggest individual shareholder at Celtic with unrest growing among fans.
While Bodo Glimt and Club Brugge expand and grow through Champions League participation Celtic stagnate.
Over the last 13 years Celtic have won five matches in the Champions League, four of them under Brendan Rodgers.
A year ago Rodgers was verbally attacked in an unprecedented statement issued by Desmond on the Celtic website.
Since then Celtic have been teetering towards chaos but steadied by the interim appointments of Martin O’Neill.
Brilliant, we need to keep making him uncomfortable until he walks.
— Seb Leonard ??? (@sebleonard93) October 3, 2026
In the 25 year run of the tournament Desmond Senior has taken part 24 times.
In contrast Desmond’s last appearance at the Celtic AGM was in 2006. Last year the AGM was ended during an address to anti-establishment fans by Ross Desmond.
Recently the Dunhill Cup has become a family outing with sons Ross, Dery and Brett taking part this year.
After two rounds Dermot was sitting in joint 135th place, Ross and Dery were joint 145th in a field of 164.
Brett was flying the flag in joint second place. The top 20 amateurs take part in the final round on Sunday at St Andrews.
Why not golf balls? Surely that would cause even more disruption, if that’s your intention.
Says one of the modern day keyboard warriors who say the most and do the least
What’s your response to the Celtic board statement? The are directly blaming the CFC saying they signed off and provided funds to facilitate the protest targeting DD today. It’s acheived nothing. I want him and the board gone, however the only way to achive this and i’ve been saying it consistantly is for supporters to stop attending games. They have to be starved out. Throwing tennis balls at a 76 year man, jeezo if the mob across the city did it we’d be laughing our heads off at them.
A relatively minor, inoffensive protest
but, which could have a disproportionate impact on Desmond’s ego?
Nobody got hurt.
Excellent Point!
Completely correct! ( though I’d say completely minor tbh! 🙂 )
“The Brother Walfrid Flying Pickets”
“Mission accomplished”
His Days are well and truly numbered.
Headline news having everyone talking about CELTIC.
A boost to the moral of the Global CELTIC diaspora.
Empty seats in paradise will bring this situation to a head.
This statement attacking the Green Brigade and general threats to fans who support this action being banned is pathetic! To say the least.
Released at 22:30hrs G.M.T with no signature!
This is the reaction needed to highlight the plight of “the club like no other”
Dying of shame at the “Home of Golf”.
The perfect way to expose the Tyrant who is destroying our beautiful club.
Not One Penny More Until Desmond & Son are out the Door ? ?
There will never be a boycott of a match however I still think it’s a great suggestion for a Mass Walk out on 67 minutes. Even to the extent that the number 23 isn’t a million miles ( 🙂 ) away from 2003 as the year of Seville. And an empty stadium for last 23 minutes with TV Cameras would show the level of frustration and anger.
Children with halloween masks on, FFS