GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 13: (L-R) Celtic Interim Chairman Brian Wilson, CEO Michael Nicholson and CFO Christopher McKay during a Premier Sports Cup Quarter-Final match between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox Stadium, on September 13, 2026, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Foy/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Michael Nicholson was back in the spotlight as Celtic crumbled to defeat at Ibrox.
The club CEO hasn’t said a word in public since he drooled over his exciting plans to support Wilfried Nancy in the January 2026 transfer window.
That interview was on December 17. Nicholson has since presided over two transfer windows that haven’t strengthened Celtic.
Five loan signings were made in January. Celtic added four more loan deals in the summer as well as giving a nine month deal to Jordan Lotomba.
Loan signing Landon Emenalo has yet to take part in a training session. He was signed injured to provide cover for Kieran Tierney.
After being knocked out of the Champions League by LASK Celtic made one permanent signing.
Joel van den Berg has yet to play a minute, yesterday he failed to make the matchday squad at Ibrox.
The results of all that was on the pitch at Ibrox.
In his one and only open media conference Nicholson said that Celtic’s ambitions were to be world class in everything that they do.
WHAT IS THE POINT OF PAYING NICHOLSON £17,000 A WEEK
That was in June 2023 alongside Brendan Rodgers and Peter Lawwell.
Since then Nicholson has bottled out of turning up for the introduction of new managers.
Martin O’Neill twice and Nancy have had to go solo when they’ve been introduced to Celtic’s friendly media partners.
What a job our CEO is doing in turning our Club into a laughing stock, never a leader, in any other Company he would have been sacked long ago except that he’s DD puppet. pic.twitter.com/ZZp25MXnt3
— JimLeitrim2 (@JimLeitrim2) September 13, 2026
In the Celtic Report for the year 24/25 Nicholson was paid £837,000, around £17,000 a week.
That report was published on 19 September 2025, the report for season 25/26 is expected in the next 10 days.
Had Celtic won at Ibrox the Report would almost certainly have been published this week.
While turnover will be down after failing to reach the Champions League profits of around £20-30m are expected after weakening the first team squad. HMRC are likely to have been paid £5-8m in Corporation Tax, more than was spent on any player. Celtic spent £5m each on Sebastian Tounekti and Michel Ange Balikwisha who are under contract until 2030.
Celtic’s bank balance is expected to be standing at between £80-100m on June 30.
The big question will be whether Nicholson’s pay went above £1m or if he kept it to just six figures.
During his five years as CEO Nicholson has appointed Mark Lawwell, Paul Tisdale and Nancy.
We reap what we sow. Several years of mismanagement of football operations and this is the result. The most worrying thing is that year after year, we haven’t learned from our mistakes, and keep repeating a pattern of failure. The board and exec team needs to be held accountable. pic.twitter.com/CIRZ5KImex
— James Hay (@wunblindi) September 13, 2026
The fans want to take this club forward. Dermot Desmond and Michael Nicholson are determined to keep us back far enough to keep Pretendgers in sight. The UCL was on a plate but these 2 intelligent men were determined to “McGinn” it again. They blew UCL cash and a Treble. Idiots! pic.twitter.com/ekzwmXlJLw
— Michael Mouse (@Michael22225929) September 13, 2026
Joe….look at the photo of the 3 lost souls in liebrox yesterday and the hun directors and their hangers on laughing their bollox off at them and Celtic…..fkn disgraceful display from O’Neill his coaching staff and team yesterday, time to say goodbye to O’Neill and go and get McKenna before it’s to late
Editor: Lost souls? They are quite at home in the Directors Box at Ibrox, Wilson especially enjoys a good sing song and is known to tap his toes to the songs of the home fans.
I only seen the ‘highlights’ actually lowlights of that debacle so only five minutes at the most thank goodness…
All I can hope for is that The Sevco Hun Hoards chanted something like ‘Keep the board’ to them…
They’re that fu**in arrogant that they’d probably believe it was genuine praise for the millions that they hoard !