The Community Council has written to Celtic Football Club following the end of season gathering at Glasgow Cross. A copy of the letter is shown below. The letter was sent on June 24th and as yet we have received no acknowledgement or reply.
“Football fans at Glasgow Cross 17 May 2025
The following email was sent, by the Chair of Calton Community Council to the Chief Executive and the Chief Finance Officer of Celtic Football Club on Tuesday 24 June:
“Congratulations to you, Celtic Football Club, your players and your loyal fan base for your successes this season.
For the 3rd year in a row, on the 17th May, the residents and local business owners with property at Glasgow Cross were subjected to the gathering of Celtic fans at Glasgow Cross and the resulting disruption, vandalism and antisocial behaviour that goes hand in hand with these title parties. There are over 200 residential flats directly in the Glasgow Cross area, with hundreds of other residential properties close by which are all affected. The people living in these flats cannot safely enter or leave their properties, the doorways and gardens are used as toilets and the emergency services are unable to reach these flats if they are needed during the disruption.
Local businesses have to close as it is not safe for them to operate, leaving many at significant financial detriment. Every year, residents, business owners and the city council are left to clean up the destruction and mess left after your fans have descended on the area.
For these reasons, Calton Community Council are keen that alternate arrangements are found to allow the fans to celebrate but without impacting local residents and businesses.
In the run-up to Saturday the 17th May, but with under 24 hours notice, we noted that, for the first time in three years, Celtic Football Club issued a statement advising fans to stay away from the city centre. While we were grateful to see the messaging from the club, with no alternative on offer, many ignored this.
Our attention has been drawn to this article in the Herald late on the Saturday evening:
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/25171411.celtic-fans-defy-club-unsanctioned-trongate-street-party/
“Celtic has been trying for some time to work with city stakeholders to seek to discuss and develop plans, which might allow for a more suitable venue for celebratory events away from Celtic Park. We can assure our fans that we will continue to do so, as we strive to develop appropriate arrangements for our supporters in the future, as is the case in other cities”.
We were delighted to read this in the press as the Community Council agree entirely with this course of action. We would be really happy to work with you in anyway we can to help you facilitate these plans. To aid us, can you confirm what city stakeholders Celtic Football Club have been working with to develop plans for alternate venues, what meetings have been arranged and with whom and what your plans are for the future to live up to the assurances you have given your fans in the article?
Celtic Football Club was represented at a meeting at Hampden on 28 February 2025, by John Paul Taylor, Supporter Liaison and Service Officer and Chris Duffy, Club Secretary, which was chaired by Kaukab Stewart, MSP. Also at the meeting were representatives from the Scottish Government, the SPFL. Rangers Football Club, Glasgow City Council, Police Scotland and both Calton and Merchant City & Trongate Community Councils. At this meeting there was no indication that Celtic Football Club were willing to engage in any conversation around developing plans to identify a more suitable venue for these celebrations, be it in Celtic Park or in another agreed venue such as Glasgow Green. We are completely unaware of any other engagement forthcoming from the Club to Glasgow City Council or any other public body which is why we were happy to see your statement in the press.
You will be aware that the cost of clean up and repair at Glasgow Cross for our City Council was over £100,000 last year. Calton Community Council, in conjunction with our neighbours at Merchant City & Trongate Community Council plan to investigate the multi-agency cost of the title party to the public purse and to the businesses that either didn’t open on the 17th May, closed early, or lost trade because of the gathering of fans. We will be publishing these costs and plan to write to the Scottish Government outlining the costs and asking for them to intervene to ensure the residents and businesses within the Glasgow Cross area do not need to endure another party next year, should Celtic win again.
Given the profits that Celtic Football Club publish are substantial (£17.6M in 2024 and £39.3M in 2023), we do not think it unreasonable to ask you to reimburse Glasgow City Council, Police Scotland, The Scottish Ambulance Service, Scottish Fire & Rescue and the local businesses for these costs, the details of which we will of course share with you. This will allow you to do the right thing while you engage in conversations this year to find an alternative suitable venue.”
The Herald
Celtic fans defy club with unsanctioned league title street party
Celtic fans have defied their club’s wishes and staged an unsanctioned title celebration in Glasgow’s Trongatee. (246 kB)”