Dermot Desmond escorted from golf event after Celtic fans’ protest
Celtic principal shareholder Dermot Desmond was escorted from the Alfred Dunhill Links golf tournament at St Andrews after fans threw tennis balls on to the 15th green during his pro-am round. The protest reflects supporters’ criticism of what they see as limited progress on the pitch and a lack of accountability at the top of the club.
The Celtic Fans Collective said the protest was intended to call for change in the club’s leadership. Desmond, 76, was taking part in the event when tennis balls bearing crossed-out images of his face were thrown. Celtic won the Premiership and another domestic trophy last season and currently lead Rangers by two points, but lost their three matches before the international break, including two against Rangers and a 3-1 home defeat by Ferencvaros in the Europa League.
- Fans protested against Dermot Desmond at St Andrews.
- Security escorted Celtic’s principal shareholder from the course.
- Celtic lead Rangers but lost three matches before the break.
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Celtic are a Glasgow football club whose supporters expect them to compete for major honours in Scotland and in Europe. Dermot Desmond is the club’s principal shareholder, giving him a major ownership stake, though the club is run day to day by its board and executives.
The Celtic Fans Collective is a supporters’ group that has called for changes in the club’s leadership. Its protest reflects wider debate among fans about the team’s results and who should be held accountable for decisions at the club.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters can argue that a club’s owners and leaders should be answerable when results disappoint and confidence in the direction of the team falls. A visible protest may draw attention to concerns they feel have not been heard, and calling for leadership change is a legitimate part of supporter engagement.
The case against
Those defending Desmond can point to Celtic’s domestic trophies last season and current league position as evidence that the club has remained successful, despite a recent run of defeats. They may also argue that disruptive protests at another sporting event are unfair to its participants and spectators, and that leadership concerns should be raised through channels that do not interrupt it.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Celtic fans throw tennis balls at club owner Dermot Desmond during golf tournament”.