17/08/16 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIRST PLAYOFF ROUND 1ST LEG .CELTIC v HAPOEL BE'ER SHEVA (5-2) .CELTIC PARK - GLASGOW .Celtic Director Michael Nicholson (Photo by Alan Harvey - SNS GroupSNS Group via Getty Images)
Michael Nicholson has broken his silence, five days after Sunday’s Glasgow Derby Shame Game.
For months the Celtic CEO had worked with his business partners at Ibrox to restore away ticket allocations, on Sunday 2,400 away fans were inside Celtic Park as the songs of hate returned topped off by The Billy Boys, a song banned by UEFA in 2006.
Nicholson and Celtic haven’t said a word beyond Monday’s wishy-washy four line announcement despite some Season Ticket holders having the contents of a water bottle fired at them by an opposition player.
Topping it all off an incredible policing operation resulted in 200 Celtic fans being kettled in London Road with access the the stadium for thousands more disrupted.
Topping it all off away supporters were able to use Pyro inside the ground without any intervention by Police Scotland.
It was a horrific experience for brand Celtic but in keeping with his low profile since September 2021 Nicholson has kept a low profile, hoping that it all blows over and that no-one asks any questions about the incredible tolerance levels of the Celtic board.
This morning Celtic fans got to read the thoughts of their CEO, nothing to do with Sunday’s events but praising a charity dinner in New York that raised money for Celtic related charities.
The club website reports Nicholson saying:
Everyone at the Club is incredibly grateful to those involved in making this year’s New York Gala such a success. It was a wonderful evening in the best of company, celebrating all that is special and unique about our club, through the work of Celtic FC Foundation.
The incredible sum raised will make a significant difference to the vital work of the Foundation in the USA, in Glasgow and in Ireland.
I would like to thank Connie and Howard Boville and their fellow Committee members for being the driving force behind an outstanding 2025 New York Gala. It’s fantastic that the date for 2026 is already in the calendar (Thursday, March 26) and I have every faith that, yet again, it will build on the huge success achieved in this and previous years.
It is unclear whether Nicholson attended the event in person or if he sent along his charismatic cardboard cut out.
While the Celtic Foundation does outstandingly wonderful work for selected charity the club was sitting on a bank balance of £67m at the end of December, last year HMRC were paid £12m in Corporation Tax making them the biggest beneficiary of the success of the club.
What ticket allocation should away fans get to the Glasgow Derby?
None- the only option
700- token only
2,400- Sunday was great
8 minutes, Nicholson
I think, from our perspective the strategy has always been clear. Em, that is to be a world class football club in whatever we do. As Brendan mentioned we want to dominate in Scotland, we want to compete in the Champions League and that has been clearly stated for many many years.
So there is no change in that regard, what we have always done over many years is to continue to improve as a football club, to invest, we’ve got a sustainable model, a self financing model so invest when we can for today, tomorrow and the long term.
There is no significant change there and, em, we all want the same thing which is to win.
Oh for fuck’s sake you had me extremely excited reading the start of the article…
I’m like FINALLY – FINALLY – FINALLY – a statement from Lucan…. (Regarding Sunday’s atrocities)
To quote an old Jim Diamond song from 40 odd years ago –
“I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER” !!!
Editor: After four years of hiding behind a filing cabinet he isn’t going to change his ways.
Is this James Hunt for real,lol we deserve as fans to be shat on from a great height if this is the pish he is getting away with.
Not one mention of the shenanigans and shite about the damage the klan klub done to the stadium.
But not to worry about the cost of the damage done,they will bump another tenner or so on the season book for our fans to pick up the tab,lol and we call the klan klub THICKOS.
Not meaning to bring politics into it,but Putin has something dodgy video or something like that on Trump,the klan klub from across the city are the same with our club,for some reason they have us over a barrel,5 Way Agreement anyone.
Money talks that’s all that matters to Liewell,Nicholson and Desmond,the quicker the fans catch in to this and take a step back from buying season books and merchandise,they won’t be long in getting to F**K when they see the well is drying up.
And the Faithful through and through will ignore the criticism levelled at him in particular…and the Board in general…and keep the KERCHING going….We get what we deserve.
Say No To Sevco!
Well, our CEO is either totally tone deaf,
or, incredibly dismissive of his paying customers?
Either way, not very ‘world class’ leadership! 🙁
Typical of the board. Trying to steal the kudos from the foundation and their hard work. They do it in spite of the board who forget our charitable roots
If this is the only time the Invisible Man is going to talk I’d rather he just kept his mouth shut.
Sort yer fckn site, ads bouncing in and out!!!!!!
Simmer down Jas.Lol.
Michael Nicholson is TIM The Invisible Man!!!!
Joe,you said perhaps he sent his charismatic cardboard cut-out………….Did you not mean his MORE charismatic cardboard cut-out ??
The guy has the personality and backbone of a fuckin jellyfish.
I can’t wait for the day when him,Parasite Pete and the paddy golfer are despatched off this mortal coil in their heated wooden overcoats.
I hate them more than I hate the huns because they are more of a threat to our club than them,the SFA and the SMSM put together.
Fuck all three of them and the other useless hangers on with their snouts in the Parkhead boardroom trough.
3 ABSOLUTE GREEDY FAT BASTARDS.
At least the sevco board make it look good when their doing the CHISLING of the fans,by having their back throwing them a few fish,some tasty bits with challenges to the SFA or another club in the league especially us big time,last weekend was a classic example of that,totally turned a negative into positive from their point of view regarding their players and fans,and managed to spin back on to us as the bad guys,and sevco fans players and coaching staff had been the victims.
As for the sevco fans getting back into our stadium that’s only the start of it,the OLD FIRM GRAVY TRAIN is back on track,and board will probably double if not treble the allocated tickets for next game at Parkhead,while sevco will do all that they can to keep us out of ibrox,very easy for Celtic to comply with this.
The 5 Way Agreement seen to that.BOOM!.
Chase the bastard down London Road to Bridgeton Cross where he can socialise with some of the “fans” he is so keen to welcome with open arms.Am sure the animals down there will change his mind.Absolute bellend,get tae fuck Nicholson you are a fuckin disgrace.
Stomach churning when you realise the incompetence of this board , their only interest is the bank balance they have no regard for the safety of the fans , why else would you tolerate the orcs in your ground ….shocking stuff ?