Raging Celtic fans hurl tennis balls and oranges onto the pitch as they delay start of game at Dundee with furious protest against the board

Celtic fans launched a fierce protest against their club’s owners – by throwing tennis balls and oranges onto the pitch.

The Scottish champions were forced to endure a three-minute delay to the start of their match away at Dundee on Sunday as irate followers made their case.

Hoops fans have been angry with their owners in recent months after a lack of spending in the summer window and a failure to reach the Champions League league phase.

Recently, the Celtic Fans Collective encouraged supporters to boycott buying, merchandise food, or drinks at Celtic Park.

Announcing their ‘Not Another Penny’ campaign, the group wrote: ‘For too long, the Celtic board has taken supporters for granted.

‘They are responsible for repeated failures in Europe, an archaic transfer strategy, a collection of NEDs who have grossly out-stayed their welcome, inflated ticket prices and unfair distribution, a neglected stadium, a stale atmosphere, a non-existent fan engagement model, an underperforming academy, an underfunded Women’s team, and a pitch unfit for playing football the Celtic way.

‘These are just some of the failures which expose an out-of-touch board and make a mockery of their claim to be “world class in everything we do”.’

In September, supporters staged a late entry to their match away at Kilmarnock.

Manager Brendan Rodgers said at the time: ‘You can’t tell anyone how to feel.

If you’re bringing your kids and you want them to be in the stands for the start of the game, then supporters are within their rights.

‘We’re keen to make the football united and the spirit of the team. The fans and the board and the situation, I fully understand it and the frustration.’

More to follow.