Ciaran Morrison

Sun 19 April 2026 17:45, UK

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Celtic’s new fan trust will only lead to more division between the fanbase and the board, according to Keith Wyness.

The former Aberdeen chief executive, speaking to Football Insider, knows from previous experience at the Dons that the initiative will not work out at Celtic.

Fronted by former non-executive director Lord Willie Haughey, and backed by former Celtic midfielder Paul McStay, the move is designed to give a fan a voice on the board.

It also intends to raise £2million for Celtic for every 10,000 season ticket holders who sign up, with Haughey believing it will help heal a frustrated fan base.

Amid performances on the pitch, and a lack of investment in the transfer market, Celtic fans have protested against the board this season, and want key figures to resign from their posts.

Celtic fan trust idea ‘did not work successfully’ at Aberdeen

Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – states that the one fan who is appointed onto the board will be put in a “very difficult position” amongst the supporters.

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness thinks that the initiative will only lead to “further fights” between the fans and the board in the future.

He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “I’m afraid that having been down this road before, when I was one of the first people that appointed a fan on the board at Aberdeen, it did not work successfully because the pressure on that one person is very hard.

“They suddenly become completely remote from the fan base because there is a thing called boardroom confidentiality. You can’t come back and spill the discussions and all the intimate details that have gone on.

“It’s a very difficult position to have and so, while it’s a great idea in principle, when it comes to the actual execution of it there’s going to be a real problem.

“At five per cent you have no power and all it means is that one person will get the pressure from the fan base to say certain things and be controversial, and it may not be the way to handle things.

“They may actually agree with the way the board is going, which would go against the majority of the supporters. So it puts them in a very difficult position.

“These sorts of things have been hinted at and tried before, but I’m afraid whilst it is a very laudable initiative, I just don’t see it working in execution and is the recipe for further fights down the road.”

Celtic must splash the cash to hire new manager

Celtic have begun their search for their next permanent manager, and Portugal boss Roberto Martinez has been rumoured to be a possible candidate.

Martinez has links to current Celtic assistant manager Shaun Maloney, with the pair having worked together for the Belgium national team.

Sources have told Football Insider that Celtic would have to offer Martinez a sizeable contract to tempt the 52-year-old to join the Glasgow club.

It would be a big statement from the board if they were to hire Martinez, with the likes of Jens Berthel Askou and Robbie Keane more realistic options.