Ross Desmond must ditch Celtic AGM bazooka for olive branch as one big question looms

Chris Sutton urges Ross Desmond to attend Celtic's AGM with a conciliatory tone rather than confrontation, as the board rejected a shareholder proposal demanding an apology for last year's explosive statement.

The Celtic board have rejected a shareholder resolution calling for Ross Desmond to apologise for a statement read at last year's AGM that caused uproar and forced the meeting to be abandoned. Chris Sutton argues that while forced apologies are worthless, Ross Desmond should attend this year's AGM and take a more conciliatory approach to set a positive tone.

Sutton acknowledges the board's position that they cannot be forced to apologise, but suggests that in person, a voluntary admission that things went awry could help reset relations with shareholders. He emphasises that Celtic fans need to hear from board members Michael Nicholson and Brian Wilson, with concrete answers about the club's direction rather than defensive references to past domestic success.

The core issue, Sutton argues, is Celtic's repeated European failure and lack of ambition in recruitment. Despite having money in the bank, the club has regressed while Rangers and Hearts have closed the gap. Fans want to see either progress or a credible plan for it. The AGM represents another opportunity for the board to demonstrate they understand these concerns and are committed to improvement.