Celtic Ultras Green Brigade Announce Boycott of Scottish Cup and Home European Ties in Escalating Board Row

Green Brigade Turns Up the Heat on Celtic Board

Celtic's most prominent ultras group, the Green Brigade, has announced it will boycott the club's Scottish Cup matches and home European fixtures, dramatically escalating a bitter dispute between sections of the support and the Parkhead hierarchy.

In a statement, the group framed the decision as a response to what it sees as a growing rift between those running the club and those who fill the stands.

"The disconnect between those who control Celtic and those who support it has never felt greater," the statement read. "Under the influence of Dermot Desmond, a dark cloud lingers over our club creating an increasingly unsustainable environment."

Protest at St Andrews Sparks Ban Threat

The flashpoint centres on a recent protest directed at Desmond, the club's largest shareholder, during the Alfred Dunhill Links golf tournament in St Andrews. Celtic responded by threatening an "indefinitely ban" on anyone "established to be involved in planning, facilitating or participating" in the incident.

The club has also decided it will no longer recognise the Celtic Fans Collective as a representative body. That coalition brings together a number of supporter groups, including the Green Brigade.

Ultras Deny Involvement and Hit Back at 'Latest Irrational Statement'

Referring to the club's "latest irrational statement", the Green Brigade branded it "another attack on supporters" and said it laid bare the "utter disdain they have for our group."

The group insisted its members had nothing to do with the events in St Andrews, while simultaneously commending those who carried out the stunt.

The boycott now threatens to empty parts of Celtic Park for Scottish Cup ties and home European nights, adding a visible dimension to a quarrel that shows no sign of cooling.