Pundit Tam McManus launched a broadside at Celtic supporters before standing firm in his view that those in the stands lack the resolve needed for a title battle with Hearts and Rangers.
The Record Sport columnist has never been one to hold back, and he was visibly taken aback by the rows of empty seats during the closing stages of Celtic’s bruising 2-1 defeat to Hibs on Sunday, a result that heaps further pressure on their stuttering bid for a 14th Premiership title in 15 seasons.
McManus trained his sights firmly on the Celtic fanbase, whose simmering grievances with the club’s board show little sign of cooling during what has been a deeply frustrating campaign. He claimed it was the first sign of real competition that Celtic had faced all season, and that supporters had simply deserted the team at a critical moment. He went further, insisting that entitlement and complacency had worked their way through the entire football club, that Celtic had been a shambles both on and off the pitch, and that they deserved nothing from their remaining fixtures.
The remarks drew a swift and irritated response from Celtic supporters, with many pointing out that the North Stand had emptied not out of apathy but because torrential rain had driven fans back into the concourses as the match reached its most dramatic stage.
McManus was unmoved. He pushed back by posing a pointed question to those defending the supporters, asking whether they would have retreated to the concourses and walkways for the final 15 to 20 minutes had the same conditions arisen during a winner-takes-all title decider against Rangers, or whether they would have remained in their seats regardless of the downpour. He indicated that a simple yes or no would be answer enough.