Celtic icon Martin O'Neill has made a passionate public plea for peace, urging the club's furious supporters to cease their targeted protests against the board. He warns that the ongoing discord has fostered a damaging climate of 'intimidation' around Parkhead.
A Season Marred by Off-Field Turmoil
The call comes after a season significantly disrupted by fan anger, with the latest demonstration occurring just this Sunday before Celtic's 3-1 victory over Aberdeen. The unrest traces back to the summer, following the club's shock exit from the Champions League qualifiers against Kazakh side Kairat Almaty.
O'Neill, who served as interim manager before Wilfried Nancy's appointment, highlighted how the recent Annual General Meeting descended into chaos and had to be abandoned. The situation escalated last week when chairman Peter Lawwell announced he would step down at year's end, citing 'intolerable abuse and threats' directed at him and his family as a key reason.
Further adding to the crisis, chief executive Michael Nicholson claimed three club officials were assaulted after the League Cup Final defeat to St Mirren.
O'Neill's Direct Appeal for Unity
Speaking on talkSPORT, the former manager stressed the urgent need for reconciliation. 'There was an intimidation at Celtic Park,' O'Neill stated. 'This discourse between board and supporters will have to end at some stage.'
He acknowledged that the protests might stem from frustration but firmly condemned their nature. Referring to Lawwell's experience, O'Neill added: 'When it gets to your family, listen, you’ve got to stop, you’ve got to really, really stop and think about this here.'
O'Neill reminded fans of the club's historic success—38 trophies in roughly two decades—and that dips in form are natural, citing a period in the 1990s where only a handful of trophies were won. 'Celtic will come again but Celtic will come more quickly, if there is a sort of a spirit there, a togetherness,' he argued.
Looking Forward After a Crucial Win
The plea for calm follows a much-needed 3-1 win against Aberdeen, which secured new manager Wilfried Nancy his first victory after four consecutive defeats. O'Neill described the result as a 'big, big win' that relieves significant early pressure on the Frenchman.
With crucial festive fixtures against Livingston, Motherwell, and Rangers ahead, O'Neill believes a truce between the support and the hierarchy is essential for the club to emerge from this protracted crisis and focus fully on football.
