Celtic Blast Fan Protest After Golf Course Incident

Trouble on the Green

Celtic principal shareholder Dermot Desmond was targeted by protesting fans during a golf tournament at St Andrews. The 76 year old, who has faced criticism from supporters over a perceived lack of progress on the pitch, was playing in the pro am event on Saturday when the incident happened on the 15th green.

Protesters threw tennis balls featuring Desmond's crossed out face onto the green. Security guards had to escort him off the course. The Celtic Fans Collective later shared footage of the protest on social media, calling for leadership changes and more accountability at the club.

Club Hits Back

Celtic responded quickly with a strongly worded statement, calling the protest a premeditated action that brought shame on the club. While Celtic noted that fans have a right to peaceful protest, they declared that a line was crossed at St Andrews. The club stated they will no longer recognize the Celtic Fans Collective as representing the wider fan base.

They added that they will not be intimidated or coerced by organised acts of disruption. Police Scotland confirmed they are looking into the incident, which happened around 2 p.m. on Saturday, 3 October, 2026. No injuries were reported.

Pressure on the Pitch

The protest comes after a difficult run of results on the pitch. Celtic won a domestic double last season, beating Hearts on the final day to secure the Premiership title. They currently sit top of the table, two points ahead of rivals Rangers.

However, the team lost their last three games before the international break. This run included two defeats against rivals Rangers, with one of those losses coming at Parkhead. They were also beaten 3-1 at home by Ferencvaros in their opening Europa League fixture.

What it means for the next game

Motherwell vs Celtic (Scottish Premiership, Sun, 11 Oct): Motherwell win 25%, draw 23%, Celtic win 53%; expected goals 1.32 to 2.00. Our safest pick: Over 1.5 goals.