GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MAY 17: Celtic Chairman Peter Lawwell, Majority Shareholder Dermot Desmond, and Chief Executive Officer Michael Nicholson (L-R) during a William Hill Premiership match between Celtic and St Mirren at Celtic Park, on May 17, 2025, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Alan Harvey/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Exactly a year ago Peter Lawwell made an investment pledge to Celtic fans. Verbal of course, not putting his own money into the club.
At the time Lawwell was Chairman of Celtic commenting in the 2025 Annual Report.
That was published soon after The Sun ran with a story claiming that senior figures at the club were concerned that Brendan Rodgers was trying to engineer his exit.
Twelve months later The Sun remains a preferred media partner to Celtic. Granted pre-match access to media conferences and full matchday access to the full facilities at Celtic Park.
The 2025 Annual Report was published on September 19.
Lawwell was near ecstatic with the figures. Five home matches in the Champions League and a run to the Round of 16 Play Off took turnover to £143.6m. Unfortunately success has to be rewarded in wages and bonus payments with Lawwell quick to highlight ‘First team
labour costs were the highest levels in the history of the Club’. No figure was given for those labour costs in the note accompanying the Annual Report.
Record turnover created record profits of £33.9m recorded after paying Corporation Tax of £11.8m.
Money from UEFA, ticket sales and merchandise wasn’t reinvested in the team. Celtic still made a profit on transfer activity thanks to the fees received for Matt O’Riley and Kyogo Furuhashi.
THE PLEDGES AND PROMISES OF PETER LAWWELL
In the 2025 Annual Report the former Chairman stated:
During the 2025 summer transfer window, the Club undertook a number of changes to the Men’s first team squad as part of our ongoing strategy to refresh and strengthen the playing group by signing 11 players.
We have acquired the registrations of Shin Yamada, Ross Doohan, Benjamin Nygren, Kieran Tierney, Callum Osmand, Hayato Inamura, MichelAnge Balikwisha, Sebastian Tounekti and Kelechi Iheanacho along with the temporary transfers of Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and Marcelo Saracchi.
Six of those 11 players have left the club highlighting multiple recruitment issues. Yamada is only out on loan but is failing at his third European club inside a year. He has played 192 minutes for Leuven across six matches without scoring a goal.
We recognise and share the frustration and disappointment of our supporters with respect to the timing of some of the incoming acquisitions. We will always look to improve how we operate and overcome challenges where possible.
Looking forward, myself and the Executive team will continue to represent our Club at the highest level of domestic and European football. Given the financial disparity that now exists across European Leagues it is vital that the interests of Scottish Football are represented to ensure that we are not only able to maintain our position but also to grow and take advantage of the continued global expansion of football.
Three months after putting that message together Lawwell bailed out of his role as Chairman.
The 2025 AGM was a fitting tribute to what he contributed to the club. A few months later his mentor Tom Allison also resigned from the board.
Brian Wilson is into his ninth month as Interim Chairman. No directors have replaced the departed and unlamented duo of Lawwell and Allison.
The current Executive team of Michael Nicholson and Chris McKay were brought to Celtic while Lawwell was CEO. Like almost every other senior appointment at the club.
