Disillusioned Celtic fans voted with their feet as most of Parkhead was left empty for their pre-season clash with Middlesbrough. The punters who did make it were treated to a first goal in green and white for Camilo Duran – but it was a day that might have just raised a few alarm bells for the watching board.
Even despite a sizeable 5,000-strong away crowd, the entire upper tier was left unoccupied as a more-than-half empty stadium watched Martin O'Neill's team battle out a 1-1 draw against the Championship promotion hopefuls. The visuals were striking as warnings of a large-scale fan boycott came to fruition.
Fan Protest and Match Action
Duran's fine strike after some neat play from Luke McCowan was a moment to celebrate, and it was needed after David Strelec – a former transfer target for the Hoops – opened the scoring for the visitors. There were a smattering of boos from the sparse home crowd before the new £6m man levelled it up.
It was a long way from a bumper crowd, but the punters who did head out for the game got down early to greet the team bus as it arrived. Middlesbrough fans were out of the blocks early too, showing enthusiasm. Sebastian Tounekti wasn't in the squad, still resting up after Tunisia's involvement at the World Cup, so he had time to meet some fans and pose for a few pics before the game.
Empty Stands and Board Concerns
There were no shortage of empty seats at Celtic Park as swathes of fans boycotted in protest against the board. The Jock Stein Stand wasn't opened due to a lack of demand for tickets. Around 5,000 Middlesbrough fans in red were in attendance inside Parkhead, making the home absence even more stark.
Some young Celtic fans showed love for Kieran Tierney – another who is yet to be reintroduced after his World Cup commitments. It was all smiles between Martin O'Neill and Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg before the game, but the atmosphere among home supporters was tense.
Impact and Reactions
Camilo Duran was right in among it in the early stages, making an instant impression after his £6m move from Qarabag. But it was a former Celtic target, David Strelec, who drew first blood, bundling in at the back post for Boro. Celtic didn't take long to respond; Duran wasn't to be denied this time with his emphatic finish following Luke McCowan's clever reverse pass levelling things up. The Celtic players liked what they saw from their new teammate.
A well-earned break for Camilo Duran who was congratulated by Stephen McManus after being substituted off. The boycott sends a strong message to the board about fan dissatisfaction, and it remains to be seen if this will lead to any changes in club management or transfer policy.
