Michael Nicholson has yet to open his gob in public but has already overseen two of the biggest PR disasters in Celtic’s history.
Peter Lawwell’s cherished assistant never said a word about the intention to give Bernard Higgins a security job at Celtic but his silence said everything about his form of leadership.
Against Livingston in October Ange Postecoglou’s side played for 30 minutes in an eerily silent stadium, at Dundee the match was interrupted by a flow of tennis balls, other protests impacted on the club before someone close to Higgins leaked it that his appointment had been abandoned.
Yesterday a Twitter account in Australia claimed that a Glasgow derby was being planned for Sydney in November, perhaps panicked by that Celtic confirmed that they’d be playing in a 4-team tournament later this year.
No details were given, later on Tuesday The Sun, a publication VERY VERY VERY VERY close to the Celtic boardroom confirmed that the two Glasgow clubs had signed and sealed a deal to play in Sydney, scratching each other’s back and cashing in on their so-called rivalry.
Over the last decade the relationship between the Celtic board and their friends at Ibrox has become clearer and clearer.
In 2011 the old club with the help of the SFA denied Celtic an opportunity to play in the Champions League qualifiers. Faced with exposing and damaging their friends at Ibrox and Hampden the Celtic board rolled over, kept quiet and hoped that they could continue to cash in on their trademarked Old Firm brand. From that decision they were all in with any club from Ibrox.
When liquidation faced Rangers in 2012 Peter Lawwell went into panic, meltdown, he even suffered some weight loss. Faced with turning Celtic into a modern club competing in Europe or sticking with his beloved Old Firm arm-wrestling contest he selected the parochial option. His mates Doncaster and Regan created the Five Way Agreement that Lawwell nodded through, telling shareholders that he hadn’t seen the email linking the new Ibrox club with their poisoned predecessors.
Title stripping through applying the rules about ineligible players was avoided by the SPL and SFA- Lawwell said nothing as the reincarnation of his friends across the city continued with Dave King and Paul Murray on board.
Should Celtic play their city rivals in Australia?
Yes, great opportunity to promote our brand
No, no, no, no, no. A horrific idea
Lawwell defended promoting Parks of Hamilton by claiming that ‘we are bigger than that’ as he held out the hand of friendship to big Douglas.
Sitting beside Lawwell through all this was heir apparent, loyal Nicholson. After the inconvenience of Dom McKay, Nicholson has slipped into the brogues and the reinforced executive seat of his master and mentor.
With Celtic linked with the club from Ibrox that had part of their stadium twice closed by UEFA in 2019 for racist actions Nicholson is saying nothing.
Supporters have power, they don’t have to buy merchandise, they don’t have to reply to every call put out to the #celticfamily.
Perhaps the Sydney jaunt might see an awakening of the Celtic support that their boardroom has no ambition other than sharing the poison of the O** F*** brand with their boardroom chums and business partners across the city.
Multiple sources now reporting that Celtic and Rangers will play a friendly in Sydney in Australia in November.
I’m sure commercially it will be very beneficial to both clubs, but I can’t see this going down well with either set fans.
Thoughts?
— Natasha Meikle (@natashameikle) March 1, 2022
Agree that it seems totally at odds with the position we’ve been trying to establish of late…
— Natasha Meikle (@natashameikle) March 1, 2022
Never wanted the new Klub in senior football but if this happens it shows just how complicit the Celtic Board are with their friends at ibrox, hate is good for business
— CeltiCRa9??-IAR twice? (@CeltiCRab19671) March 1, 2022
A soulless EPL style thinking cash grab. Derbies and rivalries aren’t about cash and roadshows. If you want to take Celtic to Australia for our fans there to see, then do so. But don’t tie yourself to them, especially having recently said we’re not tied to anyone.
— Krys ??????????? (@krys1888) March 1, 2022
To hell with that ….
— Stefano (@StefanoSix7) March 1, 2022
Disgraceful
— Wally Doug (@darrenjdouglas) March 1, 2022
I liked when our club said that “we are half of nothing”. Sadly I am beginning to think that they may well have been lying. It’s never a good idea to sell your soul for 30 pieces of silver. A very sad day for our club, if as I suspect the rumour is true.
— Barrybhoy (@barrybhoy99) March 1, 2022
Over 15 years in the same seat at Celtic park my family gave our tickets up last year . It started with mcginn and got worse . We show no ambition. We gave up so many opportunities to leave them behind but it was clear to me someone at a high level buys into the old firm set up.
You are all being taken for mugs by them.
Get a fire stick watch Celtic from your couch with your family give them nothing
is the problem here???
Celtic are a global brand and have a duty to travel to other countries to grow and sustain our profile. One of the biggest exports in Scotland & Ireland is unfortunately its people, so why are the same so called supporters who thrive in causing trouble for the club so against letting the wider family get a chance to see their beloved Celtic. And if it’s against *the Raijurs, then all the better for them. I would be ecstatic if I was in Australian and was getting a chance to go to this game.
Celtic have never called this the Old Firm in a long time. For us, it’s the Glasgow Derby. We only officially retained the saying “Old Firm” to stop others from using it and cashing in on the back of it. But her we have the Woke Brigade moaning and complaining about anything & everything like they had been personally violated.
This is a great thing for the fans in Australia.
This will also spread our global support base.
This will bring in another welcomed source of income. The same income that will help us buy the players we want at Celtic Park that will bolster our efforts to retain domestic success and also make a serious footprint in Europe.
Another thing…If this gets cancelled, how long do you think Ange will want to stay at the club if he’s being denied to take a club he obviously loves to his to his homeland???
It’s absolutely ridiculous the backlash on this and I hope that the club stick to their guns and go head with the tournament as planned.
I really don’t understand the opposition. Is it because the media are calling it “Old Firm” or is it because Celtic are playing *the Raijurs out with Glasgow or a Scottish Tournament? Serious question and I hope that someone can answer me.
You either support Celtic or you don’t. Buying a season ticket does not entitle you to have a seat on the board and a vote on how the club is run and what we can and cannot do.
Absolute sick of these mini dictators and self righteous crew who love nothing better to have a go at the club, but bring nothing but embarrassment to the club and the rest of the supporters.
Grow up
HAIL HAIL
KEEP THE FAITH??
EDITOR: Comment and content from cheerleaders and apologists for the O** F*** loving board is not welcome on this site. Under Lawwell we reached the group stage of the Champions League twice in 10 years, pissing away at least £100m to stay within reach of our travel partners and closest friends.
This was your last post on this site, stick to CQN, Daily Record and BBC for your O** F*** fun and games.
You’re correct mate, you really don’t understand… do you.
AAC
I am a grown up and in that respect, can think for myself .
I know when I am being fed manure
and the people on the celtic board are maning the shovels .
IMO they were up to their necks in the Res12 disgrace and the despicable 5WA and to me this is just further proof of that .
Well said Joe ,this board are a bunch of charlatans,if we had been liquidated in 2012 instead of the Huns I can assure you Celtic would not be here now ,never mind keeping all our titles ,that scum at Ibrox would have made sure we were dead never to rise again.
“All about Celtic” say it’s ok. If it’s all about Celtic it most certainly is not.
i could go on a very very long reply to all about celtic but i will keep it short maybe later i will go into detail. one question are you blind and deaf ?.
That CELTIC board aren’t interested in the CELTIC fans and thats afact after 1994 when dave Murray tryed to kill off CELTIC telling banks not togive us money and only for wee Fergus McCann he saved our club from going down the river and yet in 2012 a club at liebrox got LIQUIDATED died in 8mins every paper said it ranjurs are dead even x,players alex ebt rae sally ebt mccoist walter ebt smith plenty more but we have p.lawwell bankier Nicholson who are trying to save the old firm name so when are the CELTIC fans gonnae wake up to these tory bastards running our club who are trying to jump into bed wae the biggest cheats in Scottish football the ranjurs 2012 that board of our should be removed as quick as possible before they do more damage tomour name CELTIC honest…dirty rats on our board
When the person you love does not care about you it’s time to walk away
bye bye Celtic bye bye
Thanks Joe for saving me the bother of rippin ‘Allaboutceltic’ a new one.
One of the happy clappers that is embarrassed at passionate supporters of the Club being concerned about the direction of travel of our Board in trying to obliterate the consequences of the events of 2012.
So long as one of us still draws breath we will not stop calling out the complicity of our Club in protecting not just Sevco, but the SFA, SPFL for their corrupt collusion over Newco, not stripping the titles and the Survival Myth.
All these issues are not just offences against Corporate law and Sporting Integrity they have a wider societal impact with regards to the continued and more aggressive strand of racial and religious bile emanating from Ibrox.
An issue that the Police ( aye right) and local & National Government refuse to take seriously and act accordingly.
Our present Board are an absolute disgrace and completely unworthy of being custodians of Celtic’s heritage and ideals. They must be resisted at all costs.