Celtic in need of unity to salvage season

THE soap opera which surrounds Celtic in season 2025/26 has added even more twists and turns since The Irish Voice last went to press, and the drama is such that it would be almost impossible to sum it all up in the space allowed here.

The headlines, however, are well-known. The Nancy nightmare has drawn to a close, with the coup de grace coming in the aftermath of a meek and predictable collapse against Rangers at Celtic Park, but hope springs eternal and the re-arrival of Martin O’Neill on his second rescue mission of the season means Celtic continue to fight on three fronts.

Martin’s magic touch

A January transfer window where the club managed to avoid a single transfer fee, but nevertheless strengthen the team has left the playing squad in a much better shape. Supporters could have rightly expected that such wealth as Celtic can boast—tens of millions just siting there—might finally have been applied to stepping forward with full confidence of a triumph in the league, but as it is they will have to throw their weight behind more loans and free transfers.

Though strengthened, the team look some way short of being in the kind of shape that allowed O’Neill’s European impact in his first spell as manager. Indeed, the Irishman was the last Celtic manager to win a knockout tie in Europe—a victory which came more than 20 years ago over in Barcelona. A club with ambition might have looked at the upcoming tie against Stuttgart—a side he vanquished on his run to the UEFA Cup Final in 2003—and wondered if some genuine investment in the playing squad might lift the spirits of everyone concerned and give him a fighting chance of conjuring a famous night in Glasgow once again.

Not Celtic. O’Neill continues to fight with one hand behind his back and is doing so admirably. Europe might prove once again to be too rarified an environment, but the league form has been steadied and Celtic remain firmly in the fight for the league title. A draw at Hearts represents a missed opportunity, but the unbeaten run O’Neill is on gives confidence both to supporters and players that this season can still end in glory.

In the cup, too, O’Neill continues the fight. In front of a sparse crowd at Celtic Park they did just enough to get past Dundee after falling behind. Such ability to seemingly always find a way makes the prospect of two visits to Ibrox in quick succession entirely different to the one it would have been had the hapless Nancy been leading the charge.

Off the park drama

The real drama, of course, has taken place off the park. Peter Lawwell exited, claiming—without much detail—that he had been forced out by threatening elements amongst the Celtic support, to be replaced as Chairman by Brian Wilson. Wilson promised dialogue and has been true to his word, eventually arranging meetings with supporters. The circumstances of that offer have maintained the atmosphere of conflict and disruption, coming only after an organised boycott and murmurings of disruptions to the Europe League match against Stuttgart.

Regardless of how the opportunity has come about, supporters are starting to see the edifice crumble at Celtic. The cracks are allowing moderate progress and give hope of a thawing between the officials at the club and the group which are—despite such wealth held in reserve—the club’s biggest asset.

What everyone is desperate for, though, is a world in which Celtic fans only have to think about their team. Calls for unity have come from all angles, but it is clear that the tightest league campaign in decades will continue amid discontent and uncertainty until supporter concerns about the functioning of the club, the ambition it has to be the best it can be and the accountability of those charged with achieving that are properly addressed.

Wilson’s promised engagement with fans may help take the heat out of that situation if it goes to the places where the board are uncomfortable and genuine action is taken to ensure that every corner of Celtic Park is filled once again.

If it does, and fans—both organised and individual—can be reassured, then it is certain that with O’Neill leading the club into a difficult run in which offers a great reward the spirits will lift and Celtic will have the chance to add another famous chapter to the fairytale history of the club.

If it doesn’t—and the discontent lingers—then O’Neill will have to continue to work his magic with the limitation of an unhappy support to add to the limitations recruitment has already provided him with. There will be no surprises if he is still able to bring success in those circumstances, but how much better a story it would be if it is done in a fresh atmosphere of unity between club and fans.