Peter Lawwell Exit

2026 had arrived and as the clock struck 12 to ring in the bells, Peter Lawwell officially left his post at Chairman of Celtic Football Club. The announcement was made on the evening of the December 17. Later that evening there was a toxic atmosphere at Tannadice when Dundee United beat Celtic 2-1.

The Celtic board were targeted by a section of the Celtic support and Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy cut a lonely figure as he left the field of play to boos and calls for his head after 4 defeats on the bounce.

Lawwell was not at the game in Dundee and has not been seen at a game since the League Cup final defeat to St. Mirren at Hampden.

He has been replaced by Brian Wilson as Celtic Chairman. The long time Celtic non-executive director now takes the seat vacated by Lawwell as Dermot Desmond shuffles the chairs around in the boardroom as he looks for a permanent replacement.

One name being mentioned on the rumour mill is Martin O’Neill. He could fill a number of jobs just now at the club from head of football recruitment to returning as Celtic manager.

Peter Lawwell joined Celtic as CEO in 2003 and stepped down after the Covid season when Celtic’s dream of 10IAR disappeared on a dodgy Celtic TV stream. A nightmare of a season. Neil Lennon was sacked in a trophyless season.

Since Lawwell arrived in 2003 at Celtic the club have downsized but were still the dominate force in the Scottish Football. The death of Rangers helped and their absence from the league saw the top tier of the Lisbon Lion stand closed. In Europe Celtic had a good season last year this season not so good. Since Gordon Strachan’s time we have not been able to compete on a regular basis in the Champions League.

Lawwell returned to the Celtic board room in January 2023 as Chairman. During his time at the club Celtic won 38 domestic trophies, Celtic moved to the Lennoxtown and redeveloped Barrowfield. The club has plenty of money banked from transfers.

He also leaves the club at a time when relationship between the Celtic board and the Celtic support is very bad. Some fans have been banned from attending games.

Celtic Fan media have been banned from attending pre and post match press conferences. Celtic could not even send an email out to explain why we have been banned. Celtic have had 3 managers in 2026 which paints its own picture.

The current player recruitment model is broken and our youth system is not much better. Celtic’s media department don’t even bother posting match reports on the B team.

A lifelong Celtic supporter Peter Lawwell has made plenty of money as a Celtic employee and we wish him a happy and healthy retirement and I am sure in time he will be back watching Celtic as a guest of the Celtic board.

Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes & Host of the Celtic Soul Podcast 

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