Celtic Fans Collective and Green Brigade respond to Wilson

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Meanwhile Martin O’Neill at his media conference this afternoon said:

Q: Martin, there seems to be a sort of backing amongst supporters groups behind a boycott for this weekend’s game, against the board. I just wonder, your sort of understanding of that, do you understand where the supporters are coming from? And the other side of it, how important is it in a title race that the club gets maximum support from the fans?

Martin O’Neill: “Well, naturally, it’s not a great thing. It’s been happening now since certainly going back probably to late August time, if not before that. So it’s something a bit new. I thought that way back when I was managing my very first time here, there was a great togetherness. Hence 75,000 fans descending on Seville for the final. Those things are gone. It’s a new era. And what I would like, if it’s at all possible, if there were some meetings, which I think Mr. Wilson said was going to take place, which is really, that’s a big step forward, I think. And I think he said himself, we might not agree with everything, but let’s find out. Let’s find out what all the ailments are and let’s see if we can rectify some of them. Because going forward, the club will trip itself up if that’s the case.

Brian Wilson, Michael Nicholson and Chris McKay during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Dundee United at Celtic Park on January 10, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“I know my first spell here, and I meant it really, even though it was in a sort of a jocular fashion, that maybe the likes of Daizen Maeda and people like this here wouldn’t be worried too much about what’s been shouted across over the pitch. But eventually it’s debilitating. And it does affect people, I know. Celtic have always prided themselves in a sort of togetherness. And it is strange really for it to be in this shape. So we do need the fans in.

“I think you saw John McGlynn speaking way back, taking Falkirk here, saying that the atmosphere can turn toxic pretty quickly, if that’s the case. And that’s not something you want to hear from opposition managers, if you feel that that’s the case. I don’t know, maybe these meetings might take too late before tomorrow’s game, but if they’re talking about some sort of show at Stuttgart, I think we should try and have some sort of talks before then.”

Q: Is that important, that you feel those meetings, there is a middle ground or a solution met as quickly as possible for the good of the club?

A dejected Celtic manager Martin O’Neill after the UEFA Cup Final match between Celtic and FC Porto held on May 21, 2003 at the Estadio Olimpico in Seville, Spain. FC Porto won the match and trophy 3-2 after extra-time. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Martin O’Neill: “Well, you know, there should be a middle ground. There has to be a middle ground somewhere along the way. It has to be, how quickly we can reach that there is probably in the lap of the gods. But yeah, it would just be nice to know what all of the complaints are about, and the club’s attempt at least to rectify those.”