GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - OCTOBER 30: Celtic Non-Executive Chairman Peter Lawwell (L) and Celtic Chief Executive Michael Nicholson (R) during a William Hill Premiership match between Celtic and Dundee at Celtic Park, on October 30, 2024, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ross MacDonald/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Willie Haughey is reported to be close to stepping back from his involvement with Queens Park.
The one time Celtic director has been a huge backer of the Championship club since they moved into the professional era in 2019
Fearful of going the way of East Stirling, Berwick Rangers and others to have dropped into the Lowland League, the introduction of professionalism drive Queens to back-to-back promotions, at the end of the 22/23 season they came to within one victory of a place in the SPFL Premiership when they lost to Dundee in the final fixture.
The pitch at Lesser Hampden has been transformed into one fit for the Scotland international team to train on but development of the City Stadium has been slow with progress on the pitch stalling despite a spectacular Scottish Cup win at Ibrox in February.
On Wednesday night Scott Burns of the Daily Record reported:
Queen’s Park chiefs fear major backer Lord Willie Haughey is set to walk away from the club.
Record Sport has learned that Haughey has grown increasingly frustrated by the bureaucracy at the top of the Championship club and how he wants to move the club forward.
The Spiders’ hierarchy are now fighting to convince Haughey to stick around with Queen’s reeling after consecutive 5-0 pastings suffered at the hands of Livingston and Airdrie on Tuesday night.
Haughey remains a regular figure in the Directors Box at Celtic Park despite resigning as a non-executive Director in April 1997.
Unlike the current Celtic directors Haughey is self made, he never studied accountancy or law and attended a non fee paying school.
When his breaks in business came he never forget his roots, for many of the Lisbon Lions and older Celtic players he has been very generous whenever they have hit hard times.
At the age of 68 Haughey may just be deciding to wind down or take a back seat but there are bound to be Celtic fans hoping that there could be a role for him to play at the club he supports.
CLICK HERE for Celtic Wiki profile of Haughey.
I get the dig at Lawwell and Nicholson but “he never studied law or accountancy”!? Haughey did accept a peerage though. Being a lawyer or accountant hardly marks you out as part of the silver spoon brigade or means that you haven’t had to actually work Joe! On the other hand being a Lord, well …
Editor: If any of our current directors were offered a Lordship they’d be handstanding all the way to Buckingham Palace, after high-fiving with their elderly boardroom chums. Haughey has built businesses, employed people and given a lot back to former Celtic players. As for the current directors….wouldn’t say boo to the SFA for fear of the events of July 2012 coming to light.
Haughey is probably like Wilson – A Labour Lover, there by dint a pensioner winter heating fuel allowance stripper lover, a brutal benefits stripping lover, in other words…
BUTCHERS APRON LIVING BASTARDS OF THE HIGHEST FUCKING ORDER !!!
Coach I wish you wouldn’t be so reserved in your comments.
Get in there, tell us how you really feel
Possibly the most ignorant comment ever on any site. He got his award because his donations to the poor and needy. Also a great driver when Celtic needed him1994 Alongside Fergus. Yet you find fault in him. What a clown.
He might well be a SNP supporter Jimmy or even Sinn Fein – But I doubt if any of them would accept a lordship…
I take it he is in The House of Lords if that’s what what a peerage is !
I couldn’t give a flying fox what he is in. He contributed to the club at our time of need. He was heavily involved with Fergus. He is a major contributor to charities all over the country. That makes him a top man in my eyes. Get a grip FFS, you let yourself down there.
Was very generous to a charity I was involved in….Can’t thank him enough.
I think I would take Wullie Haughey and half a dozen of his ilk over the freeloading parasites infesting our boardroom in spite of him accepting an award which I believe should have been abolished before he was born.
Instead of waiting for the next paycheck/bonus,he would, at 68 years old display the drive and enthusiasm to progress our club to it’s full potential.
There is absolutely NO CHANCE of him being invited back to Celtic Park in ANY capacity as Parasite Pete and his bottom feeders would shite themselves at the very thought of it as it would only highlight the abysmal way they conduct themselves.
A huge bank balance is of no use unless you use it to develop a business that has gone into stagnation since the summer of 2003.
If only…………………
Hey Jimmy…
Fergus ‘contributed’ to our club as well and walked away with (allegedly) £40 million outta it…
That guy that ultimately stole taxpayers money to fund the doppelgänger of Sevco has a charity foundation as well…
I just don’t like The House of Lords – It’s full of taxpayers thieves – openly sleeping on duty amongst other outrageous sleaze as well !
That guy being David Murray by the way !
So you are having a go at Fergus now. You have seriously lost the plot.
WH accepted a peerage and became a member of the Order of the British Empire. If you don’t accept the evils and legacy of colonialism you cannot sit easy with these titles. Not a personal attack on WH, just fact. It seem however that being a member of the Law Society of Scotland or Institute of Chartered Accountants is much more evil!
Editor: Lawwell and Nicholson would jump at any sort of gong offered to them by the British state, Brian Wilson is a CBE while a former Director is now known as Lord Livingston of Parkhead.
In 2014 CEO Lawwell put hosting the opening ceremony for the Empire Games ahead of home advantage in Champions League qualifiers.
No reference made to the evils of accountants or lawyers, simply stating the ‘qualifications’ of the current Celtic board, best of luck to you and the groovy gang over at CQN.
You’ve got me all wrong Joe. I’m not in any shape or form an advocate of our current Chairman or CEO. Certainly not an advocate of PB at CQN.