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The questions that Ian Bankier wouldn’t allow to be asked at the Celtic AGM

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Ian Bankier wasn’t keen on answering questions at today’s Celtic AGM.

The elderly chairman turned in a very unimpressive performance, there was no warmth or personality about his performance, when he tried to go off script he failed miserably, especially his attempts at humour. Underwhelming would be a compliment to a man that has spent his business career working in alcohol.

The vast majority of the questions that were asked had a lot of effort and detail, there were stinging observations at the complete failure of the club to develop over the last decade. Europe has been a shambles with two appearances in the group stage of the Champions League in the last eight years, Finance Director Chris McKay spoke enthusiastically about playing in the Europa Conference after Christmas.

Dom McKay, the Champions League qualifiers and Midtjylland weren’t given a mention by Bankier and his cronies.

At the 2019 AGM I asked Peter Lawwell about the Five Way Agreement of 2012, he laughed back at me that no-one at Celtic was involved and he hadn’t even read it.

Today I had a dozen short sharp questions prepared, when I asked the first and mentioned that the SPFL was lost last season to a nine-year-old club that hadn’t played a game when Bankier became chairman the panic signs flashed.

Financial Fair Play was deflected to McKay who waffled on about UEFA and the ECA, I told Bankier I was asking him about Scotland. McKay claimed it had been discussed by SPFL clubs but not progressed, Celtic seemed far from interested or engaged.

Despite being told that I wasn’t allowed any more questions I asked Bankier about Nick Walsh and Bobby Madden. Typical of his feeble form of leadership he claimed that he was concerned but couldn’t do anything about the SFA.

Other fans pointed out that a statement from Ibrox meant that they avoided getting Willie Collum to referee their matches for six months.

  1. Share price in a competition where there is no effective Financial Fair Play, why is there no FFP in Scottish football.

133p 17 November 2017

165p 16 November 2018

162p 18 November 2019

95p 17 November 2021

  1. Covid treatment, last August within 48 hours Celtic had two matches postponed, in February six Ibrox players were hit with fines for attending house party, no postponements, 2 months later before players were suspended. Why do Celtic not protest about SFA double standards.
  1. Cameron Carter Vickers kicked twice while grounded v St Johnstone 23 October, hand in face as he got up. Referee gave two yellow cards. Is that a concern? Same opponents and same referee on Saturday at Hampden.
  1. Has refereeing standards improved since Celtic statement for clarification on Steven McLean at the Scottish Cup semi final in 2015?
  1. In January 2019 Celtic’s CEO requested an explanation and meeting with SFA CEO after John Beaton allowed Brown, Christie and Ralston to be attacked without disciplining the offending player, no action from SFA. Are you confident of John Beaton applying the laws of the game fairly?
  1. In February Bobby Madden was taken off the Ross County away match after the SFA were informed by a national newspaper that a close friend had tested positive while in Greece on refereeing duties. Madden ignored the rules to self isolate in order to pick up a match fee, can you trust his judgement as a referee?
  1. In October away to Aberdeen Celtic had 62% possession yet had 27 free kicks awarded against them, the ball is in play less than 1 hour, is that a matter of concern?
  1. Have you seen the 5 Way Agreement of 2012 which the previous CEO laughed about at 2019 AGM
  1. There appears to be a scouting concentration on Israel (el Hamed, Soro, Abada). What is the extent of the scouting operation in Israel? Do we have similar networks in Hungary, Albania, Iceland North Macedonia?
  1. Have you seen the current broadcast contract with Sky Sports? Is it good value for Celtic, is it dependent on the SPFL providing four Glasgow derbies?
  1. Since July 2018 Mulumbu, Bayo, Shved, Toljan, Bolingoli, el Hamed, Bauer, Soro, Klimala, Ajeti, Barkas, Duffy, Laxalt, Kenny joined the club on wages transfer/loan fees, at any stage did you raise concerns about quality of recruitment?

Hopefully a new Chairman will be answering questions next season without showing disgust and contempt for shareholders.

Should Bankier wish to answer any or all of the questions above Video Celts will publish his answers in full.

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0 comments

  • Brian says:

    Well done for trying sir, but this board we currently have at Celtic are a complete disgrace I for one won’t be back until it changes, but sadly there are not enough like me. I guess Desmond was a no show again?

    EDITOR: 15 years since DD got himself off the golf course to show face, his son Ross was there, said nothing.

  • Peter Cassidy says:

    Don’t know why we have these agm same old bull$hit from the celtic board has been for years all down to the liewel lies the agents friend.

  • Malcolm Morrison says:

    Are they not an embarrassment, they know what the fans are looking for, but they just don’t care! every single one of these questions deserves an answer, because they all show the double standards up.

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