Nicholson finally faces the Celtic fans on Monday. Time to get straight answers.

Michael Nicholson is Celtic’s most under-pressure person. At last. After skating through the last three years, he finally has the spotlight on him, and each time you see him in the directors’ box, every time the camera flashes on his face, he looks more and more haunted by the role.

On Monday he faces serious fan questions for the first time.

Those who are in that room must interrogate him properly. They cannot simply let him waffle his way through answers. He will attempt to give a series of rote, rehearsed replies to questions, and those questioning him should cut right through them.

The questions he’s asked need to be clear and precise. They need to be forensic. Guys like him, from his background, can bluff their way through questions which are vague or imprecise. They need to be short and direct, the sort he cannot talk around. That’s crucial if this guy is to be made accountable.

One of the things he’ll try to do is reframe the questions.

If he does that, the fans in the room must be on top of him and make sure he doesn’t answer something the questioner didn’t ask.

That’s an old political talent. The politician will always try to divert from the question you’ve asked to one that suits them. That cannot be allowed. The right response in that moment is, “That’s interesting, but my question was …” and then take him straight back to the point you wanted him on.

Good debaters also understand how the clock works in these things.

If he can take ten minutes to answer a single question, then he can run down the time for the meeting and get out without answering a damned thing. Nixon used this tactic against David Frost time and again in their famous interviews and politicians do it all the time. If Nicholson tries that trick, the fans should cut in politely but firmly: “Let me stop you there and bring you back to the point …”

That closes down the filibuster and forces him onto the real issue.

There are a number of rhetorical tricks which an interrogator has to be ready for. The first is the false dichotomy; “It’s either a board like ours or a shambles like across the city.” The second is the appeal to authority. “Everyone agrees …” is one way of doing that.

Then there’s the ad hominem, where he’ll try to apportion blame somewhere else or suggest that some around the table have agendas. These cannot be allowed to pass. They must be challenged and stamped on immediately. The simplest way to do it is to say, “Can you give me a specific instance of that?” That forces him to drop the broad strokes and actually provide something concrete.

He’ll probably try to give only half answers to questions, or hide behind rubbish about commercial sensitivity. The questioners have to get him to give as much detail as possible, and to understand when he’s using that excuse as a shield to avoid straight answers.

If he tries to wriggle out of the detail, push again with, “That covers part of it, but what about the other half of my question?” It keeps the pressure on and prevents him from skating away with vague answers.

The fans must control the structure of the meeting. The club has asked for it, but if it tries to dictate the subjects, the fan groups need to be ready to insist that their own agenda is more important. That means having that agenda ready for the start of the meeting, and going in there determined to stick to it.

Silence is not your enemy. People trained in rhetoric or debate hate silence. Some of them can’t resist filling it. Leave pauses. Let him talk first. Let him trip himself up or volunteer more information than he intended. If he says something patently ridiculous, don’t react right away. Present him with silence and see what he fills it with.

You might be surprised at what slips out.

Nicholson will definitely try to make some of the people around the table act emotionally. Everyone must be calm from the start and stay that way. They can’t get dragged into a slagging match or off topic … that’s a real risk with people like this.

Finally, any time he answers a question properly, lock in that answer.

That’s a simple procedure and it makes it impossible for anyone to slither out of things later on. The trick here is to frame it like this: “So, let me make sure I understand this correctly …” Then repeat back what he’s said in plain language and get him to confirm it. Once it’s on the record, it can’t be denied later.

This is not about scoring points or one-liners. It’s about accountability, clarity, and forcing Nicholson to speak plainly.

If the fans go into that room armed with discipline, determination, and those simple but devastating phrases, they can strip away the bluster and expose the truth. He has hidden in the shadows long enough.

On Monday, he must finally be made to answer.