Celtic's Title Bid Gets a Lift with Green Brigade's Return, Says Martin O'Neill
The recent lifting of the suspension on the Green Brigade supporters group is set to provide a significant boost to Celtic's title challenge, according to manager Martin O'Neill. As they approach a critical phase of the season, O'Neill emphasized the importance of fan support, noting how instrumental it was during a recent match against Dundee, where Celtic secured a late winner. The Green Brigade will return to Celtic Park for the first time since November during the upcoming match against St Mirren. Their suspension stemmed from incidents of "violent and threatening behaviour" at a home match against Falkirk in October, which led to an extended ban due to further safety concerns. O'Neill expressed his optimism: "In terms of support, in terms of vocal support, it's great to see them back again." He acknowledged the critical role the fans played during tough moments in games, stating, "They kept us going during the course of the game." As the Scottish FA announced that Mark Blackbourne will lead an investigation into the disorder following the Scottish Cup quarter-final between Rangers and Celtic, tensions have been evident between the club's management and some supporters regarding transfer activities and safety issues. Celtic currently sits three points behind Heart of Midlothian and two points adrift of Rangers as they head into the match against St Mirren. O'Neill stressed the importance of focusing solely on winning upcoming games rather than speculating about potential future title deciders. In injury news, on-loan right-back Julian Araujo will miss the remainder of the season due to a recurring hamstring issue, while fellow right-back Colby Donovan is sidelined for the next two weeks. However, Alistair Johnston is expected to return next weekend after a lengthy injury layoff.
Source: BBC Sport - 2026-04-10