Peter Lawwell has hit out at the petty politics effecting Celtic’s growth.
In any other country a club, or even a company keen to expand and develop in a deprived area of a city would be given grants, support and encouragement.
Unfortunately for Glasgow local politicians seem riddled with fear and crippled by a need to be seen to be even handed when it comes to any matters involving football.
While Celtic have the money to invest to make the area around the stadium more desirable the local council are scared to reveal details of their correspondence over the safety of Ibrox Stadium.
Any assistance or support to redevelop around Parkhead is viewed with suspicion by a small group of deluded individuals looking to scream conspiracy at every turn.
The fact that the area within half a mile of Celtic Park contains no more than 50% Celtic fans seems entirely lost on them as they attempt to thwart development in what remains a deprived area of the city.
Addressing the issue in an interview with The Sun Lawwell explained: “We as a football club put so much into the economy and therefore you need support, you need partnership.
“There has really been no sense of partnership in terms of taking things forward — from anybody. It has always been mainly negative.
“So what we would like to see is the value of Celtic and the value of football in Scotland recognised in terms of the social, cultural and economic benefits it gives to the country. We keep fighting that.
“So for things like making Celtic Park an event area, we need partnership and we need to look at doing things a bit creatively and with innovation.
“We could have the support to do something special in terms of destination, to create the Glasgow Sports City here. You already have the Hydro, the SECC and everything else — but you could create a sports city.
“To understand and to partner with us to do something like that would help Celtic and help the city. I think football’s importance needs recognised first and then we can start moving on.”
Without any sense of irony Lawwell added: “Look at the economic contribution we make, not just in terms of our supporters but the PAYE tax we pay to the Chancellor.
“Particularly in terms of Glasgow these days, we are a very important employer. We create a lot of economic value and I think we need that recognised.
“And with the cultural and social aspect that football gives I think we need a bit more recognition in terms of what we want to do.
“Clearly finances are limited in government as elsewhere but if there is some form of investment and an understanding of what we do culturally and socially rather than just the neutral position they take at the moment, that would help football.”
