Do our talking on the pitch & we can give the Celtic fans plenty to shout about

McCowan doesn't enjoy a Parkhead where he can hear his team-mates

- BY MICHAEL GANNON

CELTIC PARK is often an area where players can barely hear themselves think.

So it was a strange sensation for Luke McCowan at the weekend when he could even pick up chatter from his Parkhead pals.

Hoops fans staged the first part of their silent protest against the club's board by remaining tight-lipped for the opening 12 minutes of Saturday's goalless draw with Hibs.

The plan is for another 29 minutes of hush in Thursday's Europa League teatime clash with Braga and then 32 minutes when Motherwell pitch up next Sunday.

The stalemate with the Easter Road side did little to dim the background noise around a support who were left raging at the summer transfer window and the general direction the club are going, with money in the bank but a lack of quality on the pitch.

McCowan is well aware the frustration is aimed at the suits rather than the guys in the strips and he's got enough family and friends in the Hoops support to know the script.

But the midfielder admitted the squad needs to shut out the sound of silence and do their talking on the pitch.

McCowan said: "That's our full focus. As we said before the game, it’s just what we're doing on the pitch is the main thing that we can contribute to.

“We just need to keep focused on ourselves. If the fans are doing whatever, then that’s on them. It's not in our control.