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Aug 18, 2023

Packie Bonner urges Celtic to buy League of Ireland side as ‘feeder’ club

FAI board member says he has made the suggestion to Celtic hierarchy FAI board member Packie Bonner. Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile FAI board member Packie Bonner believes Celtic should explore

FAI board member says he has made the suggestion to Celtic hierarchy

FAI board member Packie Bonner. Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

FAI board member Packie Bonner believes Celtic should explore taking over a League of Ireland club as a feeder operation.

The former Celtic goalkeeper made the comments on the club’s official podcast ahead of their trip to Dublin to face Wolves on Saturday.

He raised the idea that Celtic should follow the route of Manchester City, the most high profile multi-club structure, by assuming control of an Irish club.

Bonner said he has mentioned the idea to Dermot Desmond, who has personally entered into the Irish market to buy a 25pc share of Shamrock Rovers.

However, Bonner – an independent member of the FAI board – feels Celtic should do their own thing by bringing an entire club under their wing.

“I’ve been talking to Dermot Desmond a few times I mentioned that we should have a club over there. We should have a club in the League of Ireland and run the whole thing,” he told Celtic View.

“That will be lovely - a feeder club. Man City do it all over the world, why can we not do it? I know we’ve got a connection with Shamrock Rovers through what Dermot Desmond’s doing.

“But, buy your own club, that would be fantastic, wouldn’t it? The club is special. It’s got that connection with Ireland that’ll never change.”

The multi-club model has been a talking point in Irish football across the past year with a Fleetwood takeover of Waterford and the Turkish owners of Hull City buying Shelbourne. Acun Ilicali, the man behind the deal, insisted that Shels would not be a ‘feeder’ club to Hull.

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