Exclusive: Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham Agree Terms On New Celtic Contracts Subject To Final Sign Off

Exclusive: Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham Agree Terms On New Celtic Contracts Subject To Final Sign Off By Callum McFadden. World Football Index understands that Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham have agreed financial terms on contracts that would see them remain at Celtic for the forthcoming season. Only final contractual details remain to be resolved. Those provisions are expected to be agreed today and are understood to be based on the same framework previously used for the coaching staff of Brendan Rodgers and Wilfried Nancy. Provided the remaining details are finalised as anticipated, confirmation of Martin O’Neill’s backroom team is expected shortly, with an official announcement likely to follow in the coming days. Their continued presence will be welcomed by supporters who have witnessed first-hand the impact the coaching group has had since arriving at the club. The scale of Celtic’s revival last season under O’Neill , Maloney and Fotheringham is best illustrated by the numbers. O’Neill and his staff inherited a side sitting 14 points adrift at the top of the table. By the end of the campaign, Celtic had overturned that deficit and reclaimed their place as champions. Across O’Neill’s two spells this season, Celtic amassed 59 points from 23 matches and posted a remarkable +30 goal difference. Their title rivals simply could not live with that pace. Hearts collected 46 points from 24 matches, Rangers 45 from 23, and Motherwell 37 from 23. Just as importantly, Maloney and Fotheringham helped restore the standards, intensity, and belief that had been missing earlier in the season. Speaking to WFi in December 2025 about him and Maloney returning to the club, initially to help O’Neill on an interim basis, Fotheringham said : “I received a call around 11.30 at night from Shaun. You could hear the adrenaline in his voice. He simply said, ‘Foz, can you be at Lennoxtown at the drop of a hat?’ “For me, it was an easy decision. I told him I would be there the next morning. I did not ask any questions because I knew he had a lot going on. “It has been a special feeling because Celtic means everything to us.” Celtic’s 86 per cent domestic win rate and 83 per cent league win rate reflected a team operating with the confidence and consistency that defined O’Neill’s most successful years at the club. Defensive organisation improved, performances became more controlled, and the squad rediscovered the resilience required to navigate the pressure of a title race. In addition to winning the Scottish Premiership title, Celtic secured a domestic double in May with a Scottish Cup final victory over Dunfermline Athletic, which served as a fitting conclusion to the campaign and further highlighted the effectiveness of this coaching team.