GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - NOVEMBER 22: Celtic Chief Executive Officer Michael Nicholson and Celtic non-executive chariman Peter Lawwell during the 2024 Celtic Annual General Meeting at Celtic Park, on November 22, 2024, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Well, as we prepare for tonight’s game, we were always going to need a little bit of good news to lift the mood, even slightly. Today, the club has finally delivered some. Peter Lawwell is set to step down as chairman at the end of the year, with Brian Wilson taking the role in the interim.
Wilson, one of the many non-entities already sitting around the table, has effectively been handed a temporary promotion for services rendered by simply being there. I have little doubt he will prove every bit as effective in the role as his predecessor.
I am not going to write Peter Lawwell’s Celtic obituary tonight. I’ll save that for tomorrow, when I have had time to gather my thoughts and put them down properly. But it goes without saying that I am delighted by this news. I genuinely do not care that his resignation statement is self-serving, petulant, and laced with bitterness.
He talks about regret. Many of us have felt nothing but regret since the day he assumed that position. His departure, under whatever circumstances, is a victory for everyone who wants to see this club reformed, renewed, and dragged back towards sanity. We should not feel even a flicker of guilt about it.
On a human level, I have sympathy for anyone under intolerable pressure.
But these people have never hesitated to throw supporters under the bus. They have never hesitated to throw managers under the bus. Brendan Rodgers was briefed against to a national newspaper while he was still in the job. The pressure he endured was no less real, and it was inflicted deliberately.
All of us experience pressure.
Sometimes we create it ourselves. Sometimes we make our own lives harder than they ever needed to be. When that happens, the decent response is to reflect, to take stock, and to accept responsibility. Perhaps Lawwell will find time for that sort of self-analysis at some stage in the future. If he does, I wish him all the best.
His condescending and arrogant performance at the recent AGM was the final straw for many supporters, although plenty of us had reached our conclusions long before that.
Here is the truth of it. Had he chosen to go with dignity, thanking the fans, the players, and the managers he worked with, I would have written something very different. That would have been leaving with class. That would have earned him good wishes from people who now feel no inclination to offer them.
We are not just fans of this club. We are its supporters and fund it.
Everything that happens here happens because of us. When the head of an organisation treats its paying customers with open contempt, anger is the natural response. Criticism is earned. Scrutiny is invited.
He did the right thing after the Covid season, when the catastrophic decision to reappoint, Neil Lennon came back to haunt the entire club. There were extenuating circumstances that year, but some clubs handled them better than others because some clubs were better run. It was the responsibility of everyone at Celtic to maintain standards, to keep people connected, and to ensure heads did not drop. They failed. All of them.
The best thing Lawwell did at that point was to walk. Even then, he never publicly acknowledged his share of responsibility.
I’ve never believed his return was about necessity. It was about ego and wanting to be present when the club recovered under Ange Postecoglou. It was needless and self-indulgent. Serving on the board while his son held the role of head of recruitment stank to high heaven. It made Celtic look like a banana republic, a club run for the benefit of a small inner circle. That stench has never fully lifted.
There will be no humility now. There will be no meaningful acceptance of blame. The only responsibility he has taken is deciding to go. That is enough. I am not especially bothered that he chose to lash out at supporters on the way out the door. People like this need someone else to blame. After the carnage these people have caused, the fans are all that is left, although one suspects Nancy will emerge as a scapegoat eventually.
What matters is that he is gone.
In spite of his best efforts, we are a little closer to unity tonight than we were this morning. We are a little closer to drawing a line under this chapter. Every Celtic supporter heading into tonight’s game will feel it, however muted, a little more spring in the step. A little less weight on the shoulders.
I do not care how we got here. I am only glad that we finally did.
I feel nothing for him. Started a period of downturn and austerity, on the pitch, though not for him, after we lost in Porto. Made a success of hoarding money in a 2 horse race which became a one horse race a dozen years ago.
Not a footballing thought in his head that didnt have a financial connotation. Ultimately became to powerful and filled his board with simpering yes men. His departure is a start. Its not the finish.
There’s no way he won’t still be taking money out of the club in some way from now on.
I’m glad that he has gone James but I think you are showing a calmness holding your water better than most. I have just read that statement from the Club and spitting nails. Still treating us with contempt and for Nicholson to add to it in the manner he did whilst still in our employment, and it is our employment, shows you that the man is completely clueless.
The statement summed up the arrogance of the vile bastard.
Blaming the fans rather than resigning in shame for the sleekit underhand way he fed the Sun anti Brendan bullshit and for doing the same for Brennan the board lackey regarding Rodgers.
Nothing regarding the way he called off the AGM early, being a toady for Desmond or resigning for the way the club has been run, this year especially.
Hes pathetic.
——
Condolences must go to Paul ‘Smithers’ Brennan at this extremely difficult time.
I’m hoping that someone can arrange an online ‘In Sympathy’ virtual card for Smithers signed by as many people as possible and sent to the lackeys site.
Peter the Liar leaves by lying, shocker! So glad the scumboy is gone. He brought absolutely nothing but sabotage to the club. 1 evil gone, hoping for more soon. Nancy sacked in a matter of hours after another abject defeat tonight. Tisdale should be gone at the same moment. HH
A strange time to announce this, a few hours before what might be the new Manager’s last game. Our club is a shambles.
Hopefully the other lot will go as well, bunch of self serving clowns, They have all held Celtic back and let that other lot across the city catch up. terrible situation to be in. Let the Domino effect begin.
Let’s no forget the 5 way agreement
James F — there are two stories out there much bigger than PL taking his wheelbarrow out of Parkhead.
In other news John Hartson is offering training ground altercation advice to all and sundry starting from the very top.
Plus an angry Fridge Magnet is a sight to see.
Especially when you are a flunky trying to hold the fort.
We are beyond parody — the shark is now jumping Fonzie
Thank goodness he is gone!!
He leaves the club as shamefully and dishonestly as he behaved as a director.
Whatever legacy he might have had at one time is now trashed.
Hell mend him.
You could mistake the wording from Lawell, Nicholson and DD as though Lawell was held in some high regard as a Messiah.
Honestly, am I sad to see him go, HELL NO, I was sad to see him return.
Just need the rest gone now for change to happen.
Looks like Nicholson has just doubled down by having another go at the fans,surely this baldy F**K needs get papped out the club as well.
I see Joe Soap on videocelts crying into his corn flakes this morning about some posts on his blog and a few home truths,the guy reminds of some of those demented people on sevco podcasts.
Also should have mentioned the great results he has had.
Beating the Rangers is no achievement, they are still a new club.
Being beaten by the rangers is diabolical, mega rich club beaten by a load of Benefit shysters.
Yes well Done Peter, you won little against small opposition.
Rangers made a minor COVID challenge and you dived like a submarine.
Another defeat tonight,but don’t tell Joe90 at videocelts,he will take the nip and spit the dummy out,all because of a bit of constructive criticism.
Good riddance…. and surely things can only get better.
Like the Pied Piper though, could he not have led the rat infestation in the boardroom out the door along with him.
Wake up .
The problem is Celtic can outspend / outperform every SPFL side for years to come Treble,Treble,Treble …we have the means to do it but the Boards view is that we need domestic challenge and keep the SPFL relevant,
If we aim for Champions League , same thing we would buy and out perform every SPFL club Treble,Treble again….thats why there is no plan!!!
It’s not Lawell’s fault he’s only following orders.
Hopefully that’s the start of the boardroom clear out and it’s a great start. Brian Wilson is calling for unity, fair enough, I want that too but there’s still many problems to sort out. Hopefully Nancy delays the inevitable tonight.
Gone… but not forgiven.
He looks ghastly and it’ll be a good move for him, for his family and for Celtic FC and it’s supporters…
His parting shot is uncalled for but he’s felt strongly enough to do it and fans and fans of blogs gave him some verbals including me so I’ll be big enough to take it in return for his resignation…
Trophy success under his tenure was robust but could’ve been better (Willo flood window and all that) and he did display a degree of arrogance thinking that we had enough to beat Kiarat, Club, Ferencravous etc etc…
It was time to go and hopefully he slips quietly into his very very comfortable retirement that we have all paid for…
But his legacy of Nancy Boy is shaping up to be a disaster…
And Lucan and The Witch Doctor are still very much there sadly !
We have a tough away game at Tannadice tonight and are in a current unprecedented slump in form and confidence, yet this chancer and liberty taker heaps more pressure on the team with his big petted lip attention seeking behaviour, attack on the supporters and giving both our enemies and the SMSM ammunition to use against us.
You will go down in history as a traitor and a scoundrel.
You will not be missed and your legacy is bitter ashes.
Go away and take your decay somewhere else.
I’m so glad to see this parasite away. Sucking the very lifeblood out of Celtic. He leaves by slagging the supporters and sounding the entitlement buffoon he is.
Cheerio, cheerio, cheerio!!
Lawwell, the chief rat deserting the sinking ship. A situation he helped to create. Citing “abuse and threats” for his reasons to quit.
His expressions during the St Mirren game tells us all we need to know. That was the point when he realised they (the board) had fucked-up big time in appointing Nancy.
Where is his evidence of these “abuse and threats”? Has he reported these fake accusations to the police? If not, why not?
How many of the parasitical rats will now follow? Rather than admit they have made several big mistakes the spineless self-serving chief rat deflects it all on to the fanbase.
This news is a step in the right direction but all the others need to follow him overboard. People such as Brian Wilson are not contributing to our clubs wellbeing. They are all in it for their own selfish parasitical gains.
DD now needs to sell-up and ship out. And Rod Stewart should step in and buy DD’s shares. And btw, the “toxic” atmosphere STILL lingers heavily around our club, And Rodgers isn’t there. Proof, that the fans already knew, the “toxic” atmosphere is being created by a handful of shady figures feasting at the trough.
Classic Celtic board. Rather than admit their mistakes and immediately rectify the situation, they deflect blame onto everyone else. Nicholson, Wilson, the Desmond’s and Tisdale ALL need to follow the chief Tory parasite right out the door.
Not that I wanna bring religion into a place that it doesn’t really belong but I think Wilson is a Prod…
He had a newspaper up these shores called The West Highland Free Press…
It’s not free there is a charge for it not sure what but a charge is there so it’s not free…
So it can only mean for Free Presbyterians I’d say !
Clach. With absolutely no respect – fuck right off.
Sorry notconvinced – But I’m not convinced as Wilson for Chairman of Celtic FC…
He is an openly arch Brit Unionist anti Scotland Butchers Apron loving bastard…
That’s not what Celtic are all about save for a tiny trickle of Right Wing fans who cling onto the wrong movie…
By dint oh his pro Brit Butchers Apron loving in public no less – That places him in the category of wishing to keep the six Brit occupied counties on The Island of Ireland – Well – Brit occupied !
So he can fuck right off with absolutely no respect…
You can too if you think the same way ‘Sir’ !
Totally agree…well said. ..Nancy didnae miss any sitters. ..Or a penalty.
Good Riddance Fatty. You can spend your retirement eyeing sub-standard players with your idiot son.
Going out on a limb. I wanted any manager who had humiliated us in Europe in recent years so was against Nancy’s appointment but looking at the team tonight I think there is hope.
Dumping Engels, Scales and Nygren is a start and if MacGregor is pushed forward then it should be win.
What’s life without a little whimsy
A bit better but two massive handicaps in MacGregor and Kenny. Maybe time for then to move on.
There is no way that I would ever condone abuse, threats or violence, none of us would, but just this one time if someone’s threats did get to PL, if that threat was the straw that broke the camel’s back, then well done that man,,…,in this case the end justified the means.
AT last the penny has dropped: Maeda is a winger not a striker. He even scores more goals when he’s playing on the wing. And leaving Engels out is another plus. Team looking really good but my god we need a clinical finisher.
Is this fucking real
Not any better on the pitch though!!!! How many more games do you want to give this man?
No great surprise — the only issue is it took so long to see the damage that DD and his clueless board were doing to the club.
Going out of their way to hobble the club and get them off a hook — we could be a club going places but that is not their style / that is not their want.
Not fair on new bloke — he just was at the wheel when the whole rotten edifice came crashing down.
The game was up when a denuded squad got papped out the CL.
Those with any get up and go had or were hoping to get up and go.
And what do we have now — a footballing creche made up of man babies who are scared of their own shadow the minute the opposition stand up to them.
The team is now an absolute freak show of mediocrity / decline / fan dancers.
GK and our current back three is up there with Joe Fillippi / Roy Kay / Frank Munro as defenders during our trials and tribulations of 1977/78.
The manager is not the issue.
The problem is the way the club is being run and the utter crap in the squad who no matter their talent are collectively auditioning for the remake of the Wizard of Oz.
Yet again our midfield gave up in the second half.
Yet again the fear descended / the unsettled switched off / the divas switched off.
I hope New Bloke stays.
But he has to get rid of Schmeichel / CMcG / Trusty to stand a chance.
Plus send Ralston / Kenny / Tierney / Scales to the bench for some rest.
Rodgers — this season the football was bad.
MON — small lift then back to mean / norm as in crap / bad.
New Bloke — Same crap but with the odd good 45 minutes.
Football is fine margins.
New Bloke is on the rough end of it.
We were going well, attacking non-stop and about 30 mins in MacGregor started a little passing triangle and that was that. Killed the energy. He has done for 4 managers now.
Mitch, you have to be joking right!!!?? “The manager is not the issue” ” I hope he stays”
You must be punch drunk from watching these bad results roll in!
This man is not the caliber of manager required to lift and move this team forward!
Granted I’ll give you that the mess this squad is in and the state of it is entirely and squarely at the feet of the board. But a clever, experienced and talented manager would have and still would drag some sort of performance out of this team as MON did and Rodgers did until he was truly fed up and worn down.
But these results are on Nancy’s shoulders too because of his own naivety and over confidence in his ability. Quite possibly the worst manager I can remember since John Barnes or Lou Macari. Take you pick!!
No — the manager is not the issue.
Lazy squad attitudes are the issue.
An absentee landlord / weak board is the issue.
5 years time — who will be higher up the Euro football pecking order?
Us or New Bloke?
Its the basics that are the big giveaway regarding a lazy weak squad who can’t be ersed.
Engels taking a corner Barnes Wallis style — bouncing bomb to the front post.
Free kick 19 yards out in injury time — we take 2 minutes to discuss / plan / waste a shot over the bar.
30 seconds into extra injury time and we are playing triangle passing to see who wants to put it into the box.
New Bloke shouldn’t be the issue but no matter the Green Huns in the support aim their fire at him and not a useless board or a failing squad.
New Bloke has held a mirror up to the squad and now to the away support and both should be embarrassed by their reactions.
Totally agree…well said. ..Nancy didnae miss any sitters. ..Or a penalty.
Your comment that “We are a little bit closer” referring to some points is true.
I am 70+yrs retired in Asian and seen how folk prosper by being with Celtic.
Could Lawell been better off working away from Celyic??
Many people took the shlling the rest we see now