Dermot Desmond, Celtic's largest individual shareholder, became the focus of a supporter protest at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in St Andrews, where tennis balls bearing his image with his face crossed out were hurled onto the green during the pro-am competition's 15th hole. The 76-year-old businessman was subsequently escorted off the course by security personnel, with footage of the incident later circulating online.
The demonstration was organised by the Celtic Fans Collective, a group that has emerged as a vocal critic of the club's ownership structure. In a statement released alongside video and photographic evidence of the protest, the organisation accused Desmond of exercising outsized control over Celtic's affairs while avoiding direct engagement with supporters.
"Dermot Desmond has essentially been allowed to run Celtic Football Club whilst using his wealth to hide from supporters and accountability," the group said. "Fans took the chance today to send a message that this arrangement cannot continue."
The protest reflects growing frustration among sections of the Celtic support over the direction of the club in recent years, particularly regarding its performances in European competition and the perceived shortcomings in the transfer market. Desmond, despite not holding an official executive role at the club, is widely regarded as the dominant influence behind major decisions at Celtic Park.
Tensions between Desmond and supporters escalated following Brendan Rodgers' departure from the managerial post at the start of the current campaign. Desmond publicly attributed much of the turmoil that characterized the opening of the 2025-26 season to the former manager's tenure, a stance that drew criticism from fans who felt the club's hierarchy bore significant responsibility for the club's struggles.
The friction between Desmond and the fanbase was further exposed at Celtic's annual general meeting in November, an event that descended into disorder and had to be called off prematurely amid vocal opposition from attendees. Unable to attend in person, Desmond had his son Ross deliver a statement on his behalf, in which the businessman was described as a "lifelong and passionate" supporter of the club.
In that statement, Desmond made clear that the Celtic board would not yield to what he characterized as unreasonable pressure, insisting the club would not be "bullied by aggressive and irrational" criticism. He also moved to shield two senior figures at the club, then-chairman Peter Lawwell and chief executive Michael Nicholson, from what he termed unfair attacks, stating that efforts to "dehumanise and vilify them are shameful."
Desmond additionally addressed a separate controversy involving the Green Brigade, the Celtic ultras group that had been banned from attending matches following an earlier incident. He was unequivocal in his condemnation of those responsible, labeling them "bullies" in his remarks to the AGM.
The latest protest at St Andrews adds another chapter to the increasingly public rift between Desmond and a vocal segment of the Celtic support base. While the club's largest shareholder has consistently defended the current leadership structure and resisted calls for greater transparency, the Fans Collective's actions suggest that dissatisfaction with his stewardship shows no signs of abating. The incident is likely to intensify scrutiny of Desmond's role at the Scottish Premiership giants as the season progresses.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football.