Livingston defender Ryan McGowan has praised the Celtic support for standing by their team during Saturday’s 3-0 win at Parkhead.
The Australian centre-back played the full 90 minutes and was impressed by the atmosphere, especially given the tension surrounding the club just days earlier.
Celtic had been held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Kairat Almaty midweek, with chants of “sack the board” echoing around the ground late in the game. With Saturday’s league match against Livingston also goalless at half-time, many expected nerves or unrest in the stands.
Instead, the Celtic fans remained patient, and the team responded after the break. Benjamin Nygren’s opener on 47 minutes changed the game’s momentum, and two more goals followed to seal the points.
McGowan had expected the crowd to turn, but was full of credit for the way the supporters backed their side.
He said: (BBC Scottish Football Podcast), “Yeah, I think sometimes when you go to Parkhead or Ibrox and keep it tight for a bit, just the size of those clubs means the fans can get on their players’ backs.
“But to be fair, I thought the Celtic fans stuck with their team at the weekend.
“There were a few grumblings, but after midweek and with everything going on off the pitch, I expected they might turn on the players earlier.
“Credit to them, though, they stayed with them.
“Unfortunately for us, we couldn’t hold them out and we got beat.”
McGowan’s comments reflect what many inside Celtic Park also noticed, a more measured atmosphere despite recent frustrations. While there were murmurs in the first half, the support largely remained behind Brendan Rodgers’ team.
Soccer Football – UEFA Champions League – Play Off – First Leg – Celtic v Kairat – Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain – August 20, 2025 Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers and Kairat coach Rafael Urazbakhtin REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
The result helped ease some of the pressure after the disappointing draw with Kairat and sets Celtic up well for Tuesday’s crucial second leg in Kazakhstan. The fans will once again be looking for a strong response in Europe.
For McGowan and Livingston, it was a tough second half to endure after a disciplined first 45. But the defender was honest in his assessment and gave credit where it was due.
