Celtic assistant manager Shaun Maloney appreciates that supporters want to see the club progress in Europe. Speaking to the media before the Celta Vigo clash, Maloney’s comments should serve as a reminder of Ross Demond’s AGM quotes last year.

To recap, Ross Desmond said in November 2025 to a packed-out room of Celtic shareholders:

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“Those who talk about the club not having kicked on in Europe since 2003 ignore the enormous change in the financial landscape of football in that period.

“So we will not be bullied by aggressive or irrational factions. We will not be railroaded by those whose only vocation in life is to be anti-establishment and by those who try to degrade the club.”

“There have been teams throughout Europe even without the biggest budgets who have shown they can have deep runs in Europe. That should be what we are aspiring to do.

“To do that we have to get everything right. Obviously us as coaches, recruitment, all departments of the club have to be bang on to get those runs.”

He stopped short of pointing any higher upwards, but the buck ultimately stops at the board.

“We’re obviously not there now but that is what we should aspire to”, Maloney added. “Even with our budget in terms of the European stage, we should be trying to get as far in European competition as we possibly can. Recently clubs with a similar budget have done it, so that has to be our motivation.”

“Every supporter is desperate for that. They are desperate to get back to the Champions League, which will be hard as we have to win our own domestic league first.

“But it’s something I know the fans are desperate for and while we are in the Europa League, how deep can we go?”

With zero points in the league phase so far, Thursday night’s game is crucial if there is any real chance of progression. Celta Vigo are in town and have their own focus, but for Celtic, the message is clear.

While few fans will be holding out for a run in the Europa League this season, the ambition of the club has to be to strive for improvement in Europe. Through that, the prospect of achieving further domestic success would be bolstered.

That comes through sufficient investment in key areas of the playing squad. That can’t happen for at least another three months, but if fans can’t dream of a European journey, then what’s the point of trying?

There has been no confirmation of when the next Celtic AGM will take place. But with Ross Desmond’s comments nearly a year old, it should be any time now.