Patrick Stewart did not offer one bit of consolation or hope to the Ibrox fans today.

When Philippe Clement used one of his recent club press conferences to address the issue of January transfers by stating that Patrick Stewart would handle the media and answer questions on the matter, it was immediately obvious to any reasonable observer that the news was not going to be good for their fans to hear.

Clement clearly did not want to be the bearer of bad tidings.

What was equally clear—except perhaps to most of the Ibrox support and the mainstream media—was that Clement was not happy with what he had heard.

This wasn’t just a matter of deflection; it was a manager signalling that a decision had been made over his head, leaving it to those responsible to defend it because he wasn’t willing to do so.

I was eager to see what Patrick Stewart would say to the Ibrox fan media and the invited press during his meeting, which was rescheduled from tomorrow to 11:00 AM today. This change had fuelled speculation among Ibrox fans about a major announcement, perhaps even a managerial sacking.

Stewart quickly dismissed those rumours, confirming that the manager is safe for now. However, he did add the caveat that if results continued to decline, there would be no choice but to sack him.

In terms of standing firm against fan discontent, Stewart performed reasonably well. He mentioned having read statements from fan organizations like the RST and the Union Bears—though I’ll write about the Union Bears’ statement later; whilst acknowledging the anger, he made it clear he would not sacrifice the manager for a short-term fix.

For me, this was music to my ears, aligning with my hopes expressed in a recent piece about the manager’s future. It’s evident to me that Clement is a spent force who will fail spectacularly. While I can’t fathom any compelling argument for retaining him, I now find myself in a place where I’d like to see him remain as long as possible. From a Celtic fan’s perspective, today’s news was good.

Stewart avoided anything too close to the harsh truth.

He wasn’t about to say something in front of the press that would make his or his superiors’ jobs harder. But for those hoping for a game-changing revelation, there was none. Stewart essentially told them not to expect one anytime soon. That dose of reality hasn’t gone over well on the fan forums, as expected.

In fact, it’s gone down like a lead weight. They are extremely pissed off.

Stewart announced a “root-and-branch review” of the football department—an unsurprising development. He and the new chairman have been tasked with stabilizing a club that lost £17 million last season, with this season’s losses expected to exceed that figure. Their primary goal is to fix the financial situation, as the current directors are weary of funding the club’s mounting debts.

The recent £8 million share issue—largely ignored by the media but discussed on Celtic fan sites—was essentially a stabilizing loan to keep the club afloat this season. It likely reflects a situation worse than it appears.

Stewart didn’t elaborate on the strategic review but said that it will aim to improve the club’s overall performance. It seems clear this review resembles the one Stewart Donald and Charlie Methven undertook at Sunderland—a process of scrutinizing expenditures and identifying areas for cost-cutting.

The most concrete revelation was regarding the manager’s January transfer window prospects. Many Ibrox fans have been fantasizing about a spending spree, with some proposals bordering on delusional—such as signing Morgan Whittaker for £10 million or the outlandish idea of bringing Marcus Rashford in on loan.

Clement’s decision to shift the responsibility for briefing the fans to Stewart strongly hinted at the unlikelihood of such moves.

Stewart confirmed this, cutting through the speculation with a blunt reality check:

“It wouldn’t be as many as three or four signings, no. We would be looking at one, possibly two.” When asked whether the manager was on board with this, Stewart added, “Will Philippe be happy? Maybe yes, maybe not, but I’m wanting him to challenge me, and I’m equally challenging him back.”

This showed not only Stewart’s refusal to bow to demands for Clement’s dismissal but also his willingness to challenge Clement himself. It’s no wonder Clement seemed frustrated enough to dump this responsibility on Stewart’s shoulders. Don’t be surprised if he expresses his dissatisfaction more openly soon.

Stewart was also asked about summer transfer funds. He replied with a lengthy statement on prioritization and resource allocation, ruling out external investment while reiterating that the current directors do not intend to continue funding losses. That means that the summer is going to be grim.

How glorious. The era of austerity has finally arrived, in a big way.

For Ibrox fans, there was nothing positive in today’s briefing—just a stark reminder of the harsh realities their club faces.

Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images