Simon Jordan believes that even a league title would not be enough to fully resolve the tension between Celtic supporters and the club’s boardroom.
The former Crystal Palace owner was asked directly whether winning the Premiership would ease the friction between fans and the hierarchy. His response was candid. A trophy might provide temporary relief, but it would not undo the damage that has already been done.
Much of the frustration stems from the club’s AGM and the manner in which Ross Desmond addressed shareholders. The fallout from that meeting has continued to simmer. There have been periods of better results on the pitch, but the underlying discontent has not gone away. Jordan’s view is that the tone struck that day did not calm the situation but entrenched it, giving supporters more reason to push back rather than less.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Jordan said that winning the league would pacify the fanbase momentarily, but would not extinguish the deeper dislike that has taken root. In his view, those feelings have now been given space to grow, with supporters becoming bolder and more vocal in their criticism. He acknowledged that some of what is being said has gone too far, but placed the responsibility for that squarely at the door of the Celtic board, arguing that they had not helped themselves through their handling of communications. He was particularly pointed about the shareholder meeting, describing it as a mistake and questioning the decision to have the son of Dermot Desmond lecture supporters rather than engage with them. Jordan’s distinction was simple: what someone wants to do and what they should do in a position of authority are often very different things.
Celtic remain very much in the title race, and the comeback at Ibrox demonstrated that belief in the dressing room has not wavered. But trophies alone do not resolve boardroom difficulties. Questions around recruitment, communication and leadership style shape how supporters feel about a club, and those questions do not disappear the moment a trophy is lifted.
Jordan’s point is a straightforward one. Even if Celtic win the league this season, rebuilding trust between the board and sections of the support will require considerably more than silverware.