After two years basking in the reflected glory created by Ange Postecoglou and Dom McKay, Michael Nicholson is uncomfortably finding himself in the spotlight at Celtic.
Fortunately for the £750,000 a year CEO the presence of his mentor and guru as club Chairman provides fans with a more obvious target for their anger.
Brought in as Company Secretary by Peter Lawwell in 2014 he was promoted to Director of Legal and Football Affairs in December 2019.
That background might be well suited for a football administrator, keeping in contact with the SFA, SPFL and UEFA but it certainly doesn’t provide the skills to be the driving force for a club, working with supporters, the media, sponsors and a variety of other tasks.
Another day and another “say nothing and hope for the best” stance from Celtic. I’d love to know what Michael Nicholson does for his £750k a year. I read so many folk over the weekend say they’ve reached out to him and got nothing back. Not bad work if you can get it. pic.twitter.com/xzvoToQ8LH
— Paul Larkin (@paullarkin74) February 19, 2024
After the spectacular success of the summer 2021 transfer window Dom McKay was removed from the role of CEO, initially on a caretaker basis it was no surprise at all when Nicholson took on the full time salary and perks on 23 December 2021. Leaving the 2021 AGM flack to Chairman Ian Bankier.
Apart from his obligations around the AGM Nicholson has never spoken a word in public, not even the softest of soft in-house interviews with Gerry McCulloch avoiding all the issues that matter to customers (fans).
Having approved the appointment of Mark Lawwell to head up recruitment in May 2022 Nicholson told the 2023 AGM that Peter’s laddie was brought in at the insistence of Postecoglou.
There is of course no truth in that claim, if it was correct it would be the worst decision made by the club since Lawwell Senior went into the showers at Hampden in May 2019.
With his hero and mentor officially installed as Chairman in January 2023 Nicholson told the 2023 AGM that there is no substitute for experience. Perhaps talent and ability would be more appropriate qualities than the guy that masterminded the fiasco of season 2020/21 from Boli Boligoli and Leigh Griffiths to Dubai and a so-called managerial review. And who claims that he has never read the 2012 Five Way Agreement.
As fans watch this season’s SPFL title slip away Nicholson and his cronies will have to come up with a decent strategy to shift 24/25 Season Tickets to the #celticfamily.
Most supporters will blindly review but there is likely to be an ‘entitled’i minority highlighting the multiple failings of the club as a new manager indulges in the traditional rebuild that results in losing out on a place in the Champions League followed by the comfort of those great Thursday night’s underneath Lawwell’s Disco Lights.
Meanwhile Celtic appear very reluctant to share the good news of a bank balance of around £100m at 31 December 2023, it looks increasingly likely to be announced on Friday evening.
Probably Gordon Strachan given their love of nepotism
— Paul Larkin (@paullarkin74) February 19, 2024
Aye. It’s been like that for a long time and funnily enough coincided with us being an irrelevance in Europe
— Paul Larkin (@paullarkin74) February 19, 2024
Yeah. Funnily enough someone saw him walking from the car park on Saturday and said his demeanour was “why do I have to walk through these people”
— Paul Larkin (@paullarkin74) February 19, 2024
No word from Nicholson, no word from LAWELL senior and junior and no word from Dermot Desmond and the rest of the spineless board. I think we are being grifted ?
— batfink? (@StevenL79438939) February 19, 2024
It’s the “say nothing and hope it goes away “ strategy so well used in the past by his predecessor
— 341656 (@V8RWWf5xdpv7oV9) February 19, 2024
What he does? That’s easy, he does whatever Lawell tells him to do.
— Burnt Toast (@HoneyToaster) February 19, 2024
Just another Tory bleeding the club dry!
— Anthony Convery (@AnthonyConvery7) February 19, 2024
He’s got plenty to say behind closed doors
— M.D (@mickdoran71) February 19, 2024
He’s probably not allowed to speak unless kym Jong lawell says so
— Jim Thomohawk (@yogibareass100) February 19, 2024
The only potential positive if (when) we lose this league, would be that the fans could then choose to vote with their wallets and refuse to buy season tickets… however, I think you’re right Joe in that they will be seduced by yet another promise of a new manager and his grand plans, and also motivated by the threat of the season ticket waiting list – which is perhaps THE reason they don’t want to extend the capacity as this would mean the board will lose this power over the fans.
IMO it is Lawwell who spreads the lies and rumours about Celtic chasing top notch players pre windows with having no intention of going for them.
Our fans are too faithful and our board annually takes them to the cleaners.
Editor: He has a small network of media messengers that will publish any feel good story required.
For being “very good” at making money for the club reads they are great at not spending money on the team and giving great dividends to shareholders.
Dermot Desmond is now aka Kelly/White of the 21st century……well done!!!!!!!
Lord Lucan-Nicholson should be Lookin over his shoulder v Dundee a week on Wednesday…
That night has the potential to be a pretty ugly evening for him and the rest of the ‘custodians’ –
I’m just glad that I’m far, far away from it all these days and paying not one red cent towards the wage thieves any more !
It’s been atrocious since the team came back off winter break,, the title in the balance and not any great form on the park,, got me thinking what if we win it and go into the group stages of Europe,,, the money in the bank at mo, money for group stage,, cupla players sold, could be hitting 60+million,, but they would do same as their doing now fuck all,,
Dear God, no!
Gordon Strachan is still lurking about the club,
supposedly on a retainer – for doing who knows what?
A ready made replacement for BR, if needed,
…in the Puppet Master’s head anyway?
🙁