“WELL, clearly I’m not going to win any rounds of applause from this room,” mused Ian Bankier during a stormy Celtic AGM, in perhaps the sole observation from the club chairman that resonated with disgruntled shareholders. “So, here I am.”

Yes, there he was. Taking the slings and arrows from the assembled Celtic supporters, and meeting their complaints with an air of aloof bemusement and more than a few barbed ripostes that fell flatter than his club’s tilt for 10 in-a-row.

Indeed, had it been Mo Johnston conducting the Q&A, it could barely have gone down any worse. But then, the warning signs were there long before questions were invited from the floor, as the re-election of Bankier as chairman and Brian Wilson as a director were voted down in the room.

Given the constitution of Celtic, those were mere public embarrassments rather than threats to their seats at the table, with the proxy vote understood to carry their re-appointments emphatically. Principal shareholder Dermot Desmond may not have been present, once again sending son Ross in his stead, but his influence was clear nonetheless.

Similarly, the room defied the board’s encouragement and voted almost unanimously in favour of Resolution 11 (previously known as Resolution 12) pertaining to the UEFA licence granted to Rangers in 2012, but that will also be voted down by proxy.

"We are well aware this is an emotive topic to some of our shareholders,” Bankier said, but above their ‘engagement’ with the SFA on the matter, there appears to be not much more they are able - or willing - to do.

A similar fate will befall the new Resolution 12, which attempted to set up a ‘relationship agreement’ with absentee landlord Desmond. But this was all mere foreplay. The fireworks came when the assembled shareholders had the chance to put forward their point of view, highlighting the yawning fissure between the rank and file and the board.

In fairness to Bankier, there was an acknowledgement of the board’s mistakes and the role they played in contributing towards their season horribilis last term, but it only went so far. It wasn’t long before the defences came up.

“I never kicked a ball last year,” he said at one point, to audible gasps and incredulous laughter.

The rumoured appointment of Police Scotland's assistant chief constable Bernard Higgins to a senior security role at Celtic was the first point of order, and a rather mealy-mouthed response from Bankier to a fan who requested assurances that someone so distrusted by the supporters would not be hired set the tone for what would follow.

"It won't surprise you to know that I am not going to give assurances on what would be an operational roles,” he said. “I am not giving any assurances, not for today.

"It's a big topic, it is high level, it is strategic. It is not a role that polices Celtic fans, that is not the role we are seeking to fill.

"When we are ready to announce it, we will announce it."

Which would suggest the announcement will not be to the Celtic supporters’ liking. "Shameful", came a cry from the floor.

There was then an attack on the Scottish Government as Bankier attempted to win back the room, but even on this supposedly safer ground, he still found a sinkhole.

Their punishment for Boli Bolingoli’s Covid-19 transgression was ‘astonishing’ he said, and set in motion the chain of events that brought down the 10 in-a-row bid.

“Well, what did you do about it?”, came the query from the floor.

“So, do you take them on?,” Bankier asked, wrongly thinking it a rhetorical question. “Yes!”, came the loud response.

That exchange neatly segued into the next topic, Celtic’s failures in Europe. Celtic hadn’t won a game in European competition after Christmas since 2004, pointed out one fan. The year after Peter Lawwell’s appointment as chief executive, coincidentally enough.

“If we talk about Europe, it’s a much different environment to what it was 20 years ago,” said Bankier. “We all know that, you know that.

“You go into the Champions League and you get absolutely pasted by the likes of Paris Saint Germain and Barcelona.”

Again, the punters had an answer.

“Ajax don’t!," one bellowed.

“Celtic Football Club is not the Qatar Government,” Bankier replied, though on this evidence, they are just as popular.

“There’s a whole set of different players out there with completely different pockets.”

It was then pointed out that the list of teams that had knocked them out of the Champions League qualifiers in six of the last eight years could hardly buy and sell Celtic.

“I accept that, but it’s a game of football, and if the players don’t give you one hundred percent then you can be beaten by anybody.”

So, there you have it. The government, the referees, even the players copped the blame for Celtic’s ills. Curiously, neither Neil Lennon nor Dom McKay merited a mention.

“Our style is always to do our business behind closed doors, and you might not like that, I understand that, but it’s the way it works,” Bankier explained.

And therein lies the problem. Without greater transparency, this board will continue to be seen as out of touch, and will remain out of favour with supporters.