CELTIC PARK GETTING AN UPGRADE, BUT NOT THE ONE FANS WANT
- BY LIAM CARRIGAN
- Jun 10
- 3 min read
I’ve already written about the subject of Celtic Park's Main Stand on here before, and various other Celtic fan sites have also chimed in. We are all in agreement that the Main Stand at Celtic Park needs a massive overhaul.
Celtic Park Main Stand Upgrade “Focused on Corporate Hospitality”
Unfortunately, whilst Celtic have indeed begun work on parts of the stand, a stand that, structurally, has remained largely unchanged since the early 1970s, the work is extremely limited in scope.
The development work now ongoing will have next to no impact on the regular fans whose season tickets are for the main stand, nor will it in any way benefit the more than 10,000 fans on Celtic’s burgeoning season ticket waiting list.
In addition to a new pitch, which it seems is bedding in well, the old dugouts have also been removed. So, we can assume that these are also in the process of being upgraded.
At least I hope that’s the case. It would be truly embarrassing if we ended up with a situation like they have at Hampden where there are, basically, no dugouts, and substitutes have to sit in the stands. I'm sure that won't happen though. Only the SFA could be that utterly inept.
However, ever eager to cover their commercial interests above all else, Celtic will be upgrading the main stand seating, for a very few select individuals. Namely, those who occupy the corporate hospitality boxes.
Apparently, these boxes are in need of an overhaul, as, like the rest of the stand they have been largely unchanged for decades. Most fans wouldn’t have an issue with that, but this work should be undertaken as part of a larger redevelopment project for the entire stand.
Sadly, it seems the Celtic board’s chronic inability to read the room when it comes to fan sentiment has struck once again.
I get it, corporate hospitality is a major revenue generator, and Celtic will need all the revenue they can get if we are to compete in the Champions League again this year.
However, it is the average, everyday fans that provide the backbone of a team’s support. Just look at how soulless stadiums like Manchester City’s have become since they basically went all in on the hospitality and tourism aspects at the expense of ordinary fans.
The South Stand, to give it its technical name, at Celtic Park wasn’t up to standard the last time I sat in it 25 years ago. From what I hear from friends who still sit there, the situation certainly hasn’t improved since then.
Long queues in cramped walkways for food and drinks are the norm. Season ticket holders often find themselves arbitrarily relocated on European nights, because the stand still doesn’t have UEFA Champions League level facilities for visiting media. And don’t even get me started on that embarrassing tent in the car park we put up for every UCL game!
This should all be part of Celtic’s wider plan, because ultimately a proper main stand would not only make things better for the fans already there, it would also allow more in.
It would enable us to give visiting media and UEFA officials the proper treatment they should expect from a club of Celtic’s European stature, and most importantly for the Celtic board, it would, ultimately, make them a lot more money.
Short-termism remains a far-reaching problem at Celtic Park. This latest, extremely limited upgrade, focused purely on bringing in a little more money next season, is just one of dozens of such examples from recent times. It’s sad. But it’s also entirely expected at this point.
Our board excels at fiscal responsibility but remains extremely lacking in terms of creativity, forward thinking and innovation.
