Celtic fans have been calling for change in the boardroom all season long, and they possibly have some light with Willie Haughey.
The former Celtic non-executive director plans to set up a new fans’ trust, called the ‘Season Ticket Alliance’, which would help fix the broken relationship between fans and the board, with Chris Sutton stating that he is ‘genuinely optimistic’ that it could be a ‘positive’ step forward.
The intriguing part for Sutton is that this plan from Haughey, which would see him ‘pay for £2m worth of shares for every 10,000 fans that sign up’, would ‘dilute’ the power of Dermot Desmond, and he would want to know how Celtic’s most powerful voice would react.
“Celtic should embrace all of these things,” said Sutton. “But it will be interesting to see how Dermot Desmond and his son Ross react, and how they would feel if they felt their power was being diluted.”
It has been a season of chaos at Celtic, with very few signs that real change will happen, despite the efforts of many, including the likes of Sutton willing to offer their services and help.
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Chris Sutton is ‘optimistic’ about Willie Haughey’s plans for Celtic
It will be interesting to hear the views of Celtic supporters and how they feel about Haughey’s plans, because it seems Sutton is well on board.
The former striker stated in his Daily Record column, ‘Thank goodness for Willie’s plan and voice of reason’, as he stated that this plan of action ‘can only be a good thing.’
Added to that, whilst some people might be ‘sceptical’ about Haughey’s suggestion, Sutton did point out that you are dealing with a ‘smart’ individual here.
“It’s a big, bold plan from Lord Haughey to get everyone at Celtic pulling in the same direction again,” wrote Sutton.
“We have to see how it unfolds, but I am genuinely optimistic it could be a positive first step for the club. Some people are sceptical about Haughey’s Season Ticket Alliance, but we are talking about a smart guy here – someone who has always been a huge Celtic supporter.
“Thank goodness for Willie’s plan and voice of reason. He’s offering to put his money where his mouth is by potentially investing up to £10m.
“But it’s about more than just money. It’s about giving supporters more of a voice at the club. That can only be a good thing – Haughey’s plan would give a sizeable portion of the fanbase a decent amount of shares – and that alone would at least get them a place at the table.
“Celtic should embrace all of these things – but it will be interesting to see how Dermot Desmond and his son Ross react, and how they would feel if they felt their power was being diluted.”
Haughey is among the top 20 wealthiest people in Scotland
One thing is for sure: Haughey has the finances to back up what he is saying, and on top of that, he is a diehard fan, so he has genuine care for the club.
Unfortunately, those in the Celtic boardroom aren’t seen in that light by the fans, and something, somewhere, has to change, or else, this broken relationship will continue to harm the club.
But what is Haughey’s net worth?
In the 2025 edition of The Sunday Times Rich List, ‘Haughey and his wife, Lady Susan Haughey, were valued at approximately £700 million.’
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