There’s something extremely satisfying about Celtic supporters taking the board’s own words and throwing them straight back in their faces.

At Easter Road on Sunday, the Green Brigade unveiled a banner carrying a message that should be familiar to every Celtic supporter.

“THE REPUTATION OF CELTIC FC IS NON NEGOTIABLE.”

Sound familiar?

Of course it does.

Those were the words Celtic’s board used in their statement following the protest involving Dermot Desmond at St Andrews.

And I’ll tell you something. The irony of those words being displayed by the very supporters the club was having a go at hasn’t been lost on me.

Not one bit.

Because if we’re going to start discussing who’s damaging the reputation of Celtic Football Club, I think there’s a much bigger conversation to be had than the board would particularly like.

Who Exactly Are The Board To Lecture Celtic Supporters About Reputation?

This is what gets me.

The people currently running Celtic seem perfectly comfortable telling supporters what is and isn’t acceptable when it comes to protecting the reputation of our football club.

But where does that authority come from?

Is it because they happen to occupy seats in the boardroom?

Because they’ve got the financial power to make decisions that affect every single one of us?

Sorry, but that doesn’t wash with me.

Celtic existed long before the current directors arrived, and it’ll exist long after they’ve gone.

Generations of supporters have built the reputation of this football club. They’ve followed Celtic through some absolutely miserable periods, spent fortunes doing it and kept coming back when there was very little to celebrate.

They didn’t do that because somebody in a suit told them to.

They did it because Celtic means something to them.

And that’s what I think the board are failing to understand.

You don’t get to claim ownership of Celtic’s reputation simply because you’re currently responsible for running the place.

Seven Goals Against Hearts Don’t Make The Problems Disappear

I loved the Hearts game.

Seven goals. A brilliant afternoon. Celtic absolutely flying going forward.

What’s not to enjoy?

But did anybody honestly walk away from that match thinking everything at Celtic Football Club was suddenly wonderful again?

I certainly didn’t.

A 7-1 victory doesn’t change what’s been happening behind the scenes.

It doesn’t answer the questions supporters have been asking about the direction of the club, recruitment, European performances or the relationship between the board and the people who pay to watch the team.

And it certainly doesn’t make the protests unnecessary.

We’ve had some tremendous domestic results this season. Nobody can take that away from Martin O’Neill or his players.

But the football team winning matches and the football club being run properly are two completely separate issues.

You can celebrate one while being absolutely furious about the other.

That’s exactly where I find myself.

Those Empty Seats Against Celta Vigo Were Impossible To Ignore

I’ll tell you what really caught my attention during the Celta Vigo game.

The empty seats.

That familiar section of Celtic Park, normally bouncing on a European night, looked completely different.

And you noticed it.

Of course you did.

Whatever your opinion of the Green Brigade, you cannot seriously argue that their absence doesn’t make a difference to the atmosphere.

They’ve been a huge part of Celtic Park’s identity for years.

Now we’re watching European football with a glaring reminder that something is seriously wrong between the club and sections of its support.

That’s not a good look for anybody.

And here’s the thing.

I know some supporters think boycotting matches is the wrong approach.

Fair enough. Everybody’s entitled to their opinion.

But I think there’s something worth considering before dismissing those staying away.

It’s far harder to miss something you absolutely love than it is to turn up, take your seat and pretend everything’s fine.

These supporters aren’t missing Celtic matches because they’ve suddenly lost interest.

They’re making a sacrifice because they believe there’s something worth fighting for.

You might disagree with their methods, but I don’t think you can simply dismiss that level of commitment.

Away Grounds Are Giving These Protests An Even Bigger Platform

That’s another reason I thought Sunday’s banner at Easter Road was so effective.

When Celtic travel away from home, these messages can become even more noticeable.

There isn’t the same familiar backdrop of Celtic Park, where people have become accustomed to seeing banners and displays.

Instead, you have Celtic supporters making their point in somebody else’s stadium, and the images travel everywhere.

Sunday’s banner didn’t need some complicated explanation.

It wasn’t even an original slogan.

It was the board’s own statement.

And that’s what makes it so bloody effective.

The people running Celtic chose those words.

They decided Celtic’s reputation was the issue.

Now the supporters are asking them to live up to the very standard they set.

I can’t think of many better ways to expose the irony of the whole situation.

Imagine Celtic Reaching Hampden And Those Supporters Still Staying Away

This is where things could become even more uncomfortable.

The Green Brigade have already made their intentions regarding Scottish Cup fixtures clear.

Now, imagine Celtic reaching the semi-final.

Imagine us getting to the final.

Hampden packed with supporters, the possibility of another trophy and all the excitement that comes with a major occasion.

Yet there’s a noticeable absence among the Celtic support.

People who would ordinarily be there, regardless of the opposition, deliberately choosing not to attend.

That would be a pretty damning image of where relations between the club and its supporters have ended up.

And it would be sad.

Really sad.

Because nobody should want Celtic supporters feeling they have to miss occasions like that to make their voices heard.

But I also understand why they’re prepared to do it.

If you’re going to make a stand, you can’t abandon it the moment there’s a big match or a trophy at stake.

Otherwise, what was the point in the first place?

This Sideshow Is Going To Continue, And Frankly It Has To

I wish we weren’t spending so much time discussing Celtic’s board.

I really do.

I’d much rather be talking about football.

Give me seven goals against Hearts, European victories and the excitement of watching Celtic compete for trophies any day of the week.

But we’re not going to get away from this situation simply by wishing it would disappear.

The problems are still there.

The frustration is still there.

And until there’s meaningful change, the protests are going to remain part of the conversation.

It could become a sad, sorry sideshow that follows Celtic throughout the season.

Actually, I think that’s exactly what’s going to happen.

But here’s where I stand.

It has to continue.

Not because I want Celtic supporters arguing with one another.

Not because I enjoy seeing empty seats at Celtic Park.

And certainly not because I want anything other than success for the football team.

It has to continue because there’s a genuine purpose behind these protests.

There are questions being asked that deserve proper answers.

Supporters have concerns about the people running their club, and those concerns don’t become irrelevant just because Celtic have won another football match.

Celtic’s Reputation Is Non-Negotiable. On That, We Agree.

The funniest thing about all of this is that I actually agree with the board’s original words.

Celtic’s reputation absolutely is non-negotiable.

It’s just that my understanding of what protects that reputation seems rather different from theirs.

I don’t believe protecting Celtic means blindly defending whoever happens to be running the club.

I don’t believe supporters should be expected to smile politely while serious concerns go unanswered.

And I certainly don’t believe a few good results should be enough to make everybody forget why this argument started.

There’s a difference between supporting Celtic Football Club and supporting every decision made by Celtic’s directors.

Some people seem determined to pretend those are the same thing.

They’re not.

The Green Brigade have taken the board’s own words and turned them into a message that will be very difficult to ignore.

Seven goals against Hearts won’t make it disappear.

Another league victory won’t make it disappear.

And if Celtic reach Hampden while this dispute remains unresolved, those missing supporters might make an even bigger statement without saying a single word.

The reputation of Celtic Football Club is non-negotiable.

You’re absolutely right about that.

But perhaps the people who wrote those words should spend a little more time considering what they actually mean.

Because right now, I don’t think it’s the supporters who need reminding.

Keep Your Eyes On The Board.