Celtic's largest shareholder Dermot Desmond was targeted by protesters at the Alfred Dunhill Links golf tournament in St Andrews, where tennis balls bearing his crossed-out image were thrown onto the 15th hole green during the pro-am competition. The Celtic Fans Collective released footage and images of the incident, stating that Desmond has used his wealth to avoid supporter accountability. "Fans took the chance today to send a message that this arrangement cannot continue," the group said.
Desmond, 76, has faced growing criticism over Celtic's lack of European progress and underwhelming transfer activity. Following Brendan Rodgers' resignation at the start of last season, Desmond blamed the former manager for issues during the 2025-26 campaign. At Celtic's annual general meeting last November—abandoned due to fan unrest—Desmond's son Ross read a statement defending his father and the board.
The Irishman defended then-chairman Peter Lawwell and chief executive Michael Nicholson, calling attempts to "dehumanise and vilify them" shameful. He also criticised fans over an incident leading to the Green Brigade ultras group being banned, describing those involved as "bullies."
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing