'Not Celtic' - O'Neill condemns Desmond protest

"This is not Celtic at all," was manager Martin O'Neill's response to the rising tensions between sections of the fan base and the club's board.

The Green Brigade has announced plans to boycott Scottish Cup matches and home European ties, with the ultras group saying: "The disconnect between those who control Celtic and those who support it has never felt greater.

"Under the influence of Dermot Desmond, a dark cloud lingers over our club creating an increasingly unsustainable environment."

Desmond, the club's largest shareholder, was recently the target of a protest during the Alfred Dunhill Links golf tournament in St Andrews.

Celtic responded with the threat of an "indefinite ban" on anyone "established to be involved in planning, facilitating or participating" in the incident.

The club has also chosen to no longer recognise the Celtic Fans Collective as a representative body.

"I came into this situation this time last year and it seems to be going back to that again," O'Neill said, referencing previous anti-board sentiment.

"I don't agree at all with what happened up at St Andrews. I don't agree with that at all.

"I mean, we derided Rangers [ultras] in the [last season's Scottish Cup] game for wearing balaclavas and then suddenly we're doing it ourselves. This is not Celtic at all."

The Celtic Fans Collective is a coalition of supporter groups, including the Green Brigade.

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

They also state their members had nothing to do with events in St Andrews, while commending those behind the stunt, which involved the throwing of tennis balls.

O'Neill called the boycott "a really sad situation" before adding: "But we went through it last season."

The veteran manager continued: "I can remember the days of having 80,000 people in Seville [2003 Uefa Cup final] without an arrest, that's Celtic to me.

"Or the final whistle going in the last match of the season, where the crowd come onto the pitch and that's like a euphoric state. Those are phenomenal memories which I'll never forget.

"All I do know is that when the club were together towards the end of the season, I genuinely felt we were unbeatable."