One of the best run clubs in the world, world class in many many aspects- Peter Lawwell’s AGM boast

Peter Lawwell has claimed that Celtic is one of the best run clubs in the world, apparently world class in many, many aspects.

Now appearing under the title of Chairman of Celtic, the 64-year-old was appearing at the AGM for the first time since 2019 when he had just picked up £3.5m for his role as CEO, during the season that he picked up that windfall Celtic lost out to AEK Athens in the Third Round of Champions League qualifier then appointed Neil Lennon as manager in the showers at Hampden.

Since his last AGM appearance Lawwell presided over the disastrous 20/21 season that almost has too many disasters to mention.

Among them £10m and top wages was spent on Vasilis Barkas and Albian Ajeti who both left for nothing after three draining years, stood by Neil Lennon with a managerial review concluding that he was the best man for the job, in January he signed off on a disastrous winter trip to Dubai.

On the pitch Celtic lost the league by 25 points, failed to reach even a domestic semi-final and four successive trebles, lost four successive home matches for the first time since the fifties with Lawwell stepping down as CEO leaving Dom McKay a skeleton squad to rebuild.

Invited in to report on the AGM Keith Jackson noted an impassioned answer from Lawwell when quizzed about the level of executive pay.

The Daily Record reports the club Chairman saying:

It’s not by chance or by luck that we’re viewed as one one of the best run football clubs in Europe, if not the world. It’s not by chance that we’ve won five trebles out of seven. It’s not by chance that our turnover is a record £120m.

It’s not by chance that our profit was £40m. It’s not by chance we have huge value in the squad, that we’ve got an organisation that is efficient and, in my view, world class in many, many aspects. Nobody knows the stresses and strains of being a Celtic executive more than me. I was in the job for 18 years and I can assure you it’s not an easy gig.

Over the last 10 years Celtic have won once in the Champions League group stages, along the way they have lost out in the qualifying stages to Malmo, Maribor, AEK Athens, Ferencvaros and Cluj.

Celtic’s last victory in a European knock-out tie was in season 2003/04, the season that Lawwell took over as CEO, since then, from the same environment, Scotland has twice provided finalists in European competitions.

Last season Celtic picked up two points in the Champions League, this season they have one point from four matches, the same amount as the u-19 side have in the UEFA Youth League.

Celtic’s B team is sitting in 10th place in the Lowland League, behind Boness, Civil Service Strollers, Cumbernauld Colts and Tranent with seven wins and seven defeats from 15 matches.