Willie Haughey unveils bold Celtic proposal to purchase £10m in shares and hand them to supporters

Willie Haughey has unveiled an ambitious proposal to purchase up to £10 million worth of Celtic F.C. shares — with the intention of placing them in the hands of supporters rather than keeping them himself.

The announcement comes at a turbulent time for the club, amid growing unrest among sections of the fanbase and ongoing tensions with the board and majority shareholder Dermot Desmond. Haughey, a lifelong Celtic supporter and former non-executive director, believes the solution lies in giving season ticket holders a stronger collective voice.

Speaking on Go Radio, the businessman outlined his vision for what he calls a “Season Ticket Alliance.” Under the proposal, Haughey would contribute £2 million for every 10,000 fans who sign up to the initiative, up to a potential total of £10 million. The funds would be used to acquire shares through a trust structure designed to represent supporters.

Haughey stressed that he is not seeking financial contributions from fans. Instead, he plans to establish and fund a small administrative team himself. Season ticket holders — roughly 54,000 of them — would simply need to register with basic contact details to become part of the alliance. If participation targets are met, the collective would then move forward with acquiring shares to secure a meaningful voice in club affairs.

He emphasised that the scheme would operate independently and that the shares would belong to the supporters’ trust, not to him personally. His goal, he said, is to restore unity at Parkhead, improve communication with the club hierarchy, and create a structured channel for fan representation.

Haughey also revealed that a Celtic legend has agreed in principle to act as the public face of the initiative, although he declined to name the individual at this stage. Further details about how supporters can join are expected in the coming weeks.

Framing the proposal as a step toward rebuilding harmony, Haughey expressed hope that greater fan involvement could help stabilise the atmosphere around the club and refocus attention on success on the pitch.