The victim believes the deal allows Celtic FC to “get off the hook” by paying cash to victims while maintaining it was not to blame for any abuse.

A survivor of sex abuse at Celtic Boys Club has claimed a newly announced class action settlement is “blocking” justice.

The victim believes the deal allows Celtic FC to “get off the hook” by paying cash to victims while maintaining it was not to blame for any abuse.

The club announced on Tuesday that it has agreed to pay millions to end the class action of 22 victims – with a further 14 yet to accept final terms.

But one survivor – who is among the 14 who have not yet agreed to any final settlement – claims the deal avoids shedding light on who at Celtic FC enabled abuse or failed to stop it from happening.

The survivor said: “I am dismayed at the fanfair for this settlement.

“The scope of the claim meant they would never really get justice, never expose what actually happened at Celtic.

”I don’t begrudge any victim receiving a payout but that’s only part of it.

“Justice isn’t about getting a wedge of money from a powerful organisation that denies doing anything wrong.

“Justice isn’t receiving an apology simply for bad things happening, which is framed in a way that suggests the club did nothing wrong – which is simply untrue.

“The settlement was only reached because of the huge evidence to support the very obvious, close mutual relationship between the boys club and Celtic FC.

“Celtic have been dragged kicking and screaming into a settlement but the wording of their statement allows them to keep saying the boys club was nothing to do with them.”

The 22 victims who settled this week made claims that relate to paedophiles Jim Torbett and Frank Cairney.

Torbett founded the club in 1966 and Cairney was one of the main coaches. They both used their position to gain access you young footballers to abuse them.

Several other offenders also gained access to talented young footballers at the boys club, which victims claim was regarded as a feeder for Celtic FC.

In a statement on Tuesday Celtic bosses said they were “very sorry” for the abuse and admitted “contact” between the feeder club and the main club.

They have agreed to pay out a seven figure sum to 22 abuse victims after a class action being fought by lawyers at Thompsons Solicitors.

Lawyers have welcomed the settlement, but the victim – who we are not naming – said he has long feared the class action would not get to the truth of what happened at the Boys Club.

He claimed the whole case rested on whether Celtic FC were responsible for actions of coaches at the Boys Club – a legal term known as “vicarious liability”.

He said: “We as victims were always under the impression from the first day that we would be able to highlight what went on and who did what and who at Celtic FC allowed it to happen.

“We were under that impression for two to three years.

“Then about two years ago, we were told quite categorically that the court case would not look at any issue other than where certain people were vicariously liable.

“So the real ins and outs of the case would never come out.

“The case should be looking at who knew what and when – and what was done or not done to stop the abuse.

“It should examine who took part in abuse and who facilitated a cover-up.

“But the settlement we have reached means that Celtic can simply admit nothing, say they’re sorry some bad stuff happened and draw a line under it.”

He added: “Thompsons say the settlement will be a seven figure sum but the grand total of what people are being paid after years of abuse and decades of denial would not even cover a month’s wage bill at Celtic Park.

“It’s a pittance. It’s very disheartening because Celtic are managing to avoid any scrutiny, and that is why we need a public inquiry.

“All the ins and outs and intricacies have to be ironed out. At the moment, as far as I’m concerned, Celtic have certainly got way with it”

The victim said he was sickened by the terms of Celtic’s statement on Tuesday, which was similar to a statement made at the point of the class action being revealed in 2020.

He said: “Back in 2020 they said they were sorry that it happened but the world needs to hear the club say they are sorry they allowed it to happen.

“There’s a million miles of difference there. The statement still talks about ‘historic contact’ between the club and boys club but that is simply allowing them to say it was nothing to do with them.

“They’ve brokered a deal that protects them.”

The survivor said an intensive investigation by the Daily Record from 1996 onwards had changed Celtic’s public attitude towards the Celtic Boys Club.

He said: “What is clear is that, until 1988, Celtic Football Club were so proud of their relationship with the Celtic Boys Club that they had their own weekly section in the Celtic View.

“What then happened was Jim Torbett was accused by the Daily Record of abusing children.

“It was only then that this ‘separate entity’ nonsense emerged. That separate entity excuse has now been used for the last 27 years.

“Celtic have used that terminology to distance themselves and to avoid any action we take against them. And we definitely we need a public inquiry to listen to victims.

“Regardless of what happens in my case, I’m going to keep pushing for that, even if I’m doomed to get nowhere with it.

In 2020 representatives of the survivors announced they were planning to mount a US-style “class action” lawsuit against the club over the alleged abuse, in one of the first cases of its kind in Scotland.

Celtic had indicated back in September 2023 that they were seeking to settle the legal claims after a judge previously gave the go-ahead for group litigation to proceed.

Lawyer Laura Connor, who has led the legal battle for the victims, admitted that the way in which the cases have settled, without any admission of liability and involving such a long and protracted process, makes it quite difficult for some to begin to move on.

She added: “ We don’t know what Celtic’s reasons are for having defended the case, as they have done for so long, or for agreeing settlement terms.

“Now I’m glad that they’ve done so. I think it was the right thing to do but I think they should provide some explanation as to why they insisted that it go on for so long.”

The Boys Club, which no longer exists, was formed in the 1960s as a team for young footballers in Glasgow. It was based close to Celtic Park, in the city’s east end and there was a succession of players who went on to join Celtic FC.

Celtic FC and Thompsons have been asked to comment on comments by the survivor.