Keith Wyness: Celtic Fans Handed 'Stronger Cards to Play' vs Board After Latest Reveal

Published: Friday, February 20, 2026 | By Ciaran Morrison | Football Insider

Former Aberdeen, Aston Villa, and Everton chief executive Keith Wyness has warned that Celtic's board faces intensified fan pressure following a revealing interim financial report. The report, covering the six months up to December 2025, discloses that matchday revenue constitutes 42% of the club's total income—a strikingly high dependency compared to other clubs.[1][4]

Speaking exclusively on Football Insider's Inside Track podcast, Wyness described this as a "big issue" that hands fans "stronger cards to play" against the ownership. He explained: "There is bad blood right now between the owners/board and the fan base... That's 42% of your revenue, which is a pretty high number... So that’s got to be reversed in some way."[1][4]

Celtic supporters have already voiced discontent this season through protests, prompting former chairman Peter Lawwell to step down in December. Wyness predicts fans will weaponize these figures to escalate boycotts and demonstrations, especially amid challenges like a declining Scottish coefficient hindering Champions League qualification—even if Celtic wins the three-way title race with Rangers and Hearts.[1]

The revelation amplifies existing tensions. Wyness highlighted vulnerabilities: maintaining matchday income is tough without European success, urging the board to diversify revenue streams. He noted Celtic's on-pitch resilience under new manager Martin O’Neill, whose January signings—including Julian Araujo, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Tomas Cvancara—have fueled dramatic comebacks, like the 3-2 victory over Kilmarnock.[2]

However, off-field turmoil persists. Past recruitment missteps, such as appointing Paul Tisdale as Head of Football Operations, led to squad decline, cup final losses, a Champions League exit to Kairat Almaty, and three managerial changes in under 20 SPFL matches. Tisdale's dismissal followed, with Wyness slamming it as falling for "bulls**t spin."[3]

Wyness forecasts "difficult times ahead" for the board, as fans leverage financial transparency in their push for change. With O’Neill's success pivotal, any title win credits him, while failure blames the hierarchy.[1][3][4]

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