Militant Celtic fans who staged a humiliating protest against billionaire Dermot Desmond at St Andrews are unlikely to achieve their aim of removing him, according to the Record Sport team. The Irishman was confronted at the home of golf, but pundits believe the incident will only make him more determined to stay.
Protest at the Old Course
Desmond was driven away from the course at St Andrews and escorted off by security from the 18th green after the protest at the Dunhill Links event. The club has indicated that so-called supporters crossed a line with their actions.
Keith Jackson believes the protest may have scored a bogey at the Old Course, suggesting billionaires dislike being embarrassed in front of their peers. He said: "If billionaires don't like being told how to act, they enjoy being embarrassed in front of their peers even less."
Stubborn response expected
Scott McDermott argued the protest will make Desmond even more determined to hang around, noting he is "stubborn and ruthless" and unlikely to allow fan pressure to deter him. Anthony Evans added that the incident will only have entrenched Desmond's position against irate fans further, pointing to a blistering statement issued through his son at last year's AGM.
Scotland's striking options
Meanwhile, the panel debated whether Kieron Bowie has made the Scotland No. 9 position his own after his display against North Macedonia. All three pundits agreed he has, with Keith Jackson noting his lively performances in Slovenia and against Switzerland, while Anthony Evans highlighted his superb strike in Skopje and called for the team to be built around him.
On Ben Gannon-Doak, the panel suggested he should look for a loan move away from Bournemouth in January if he is not getting regular starts. Evans noted the £25million signing was only added to the Europa League squad after an injury to Eli Junior Kroupi, suggesting new boss Marco Rose does not fancy him.
Finally, the team assessed Sebastien Pocognoli's start to his Scotland reign, with a win against Slovenia giving him seven points out of 12. All three rated that a solid or acceptable return, with Jackson saying the early signs are encouraging and Evans arguing there is enough evidence for the Tartan Army to get on board.
