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Jim Hone – Contracts Director September 1999 – October 2003
Born in Glasgow in 1958 he undertook an honours degree in Business Studies at Glasgow Caledonian University. He developed his business career over years as executive director of various British Aerospace plc and Airbus Industrie business units and Divisions in Europe and the Far East. A colleague of MacDonald's at British Aerospace and commonly described as a ‘trusted and loyal lieutenant’ Mr Hone was variously described as Contracts Director, Contracts Manager, Contracts ‘guru’ as well as Human Resources and I.T. Director. By December 2002 he was describes as responsible for directing and controlling all business aspects of Celtic's Football Operations including all ticketing operations and responsibility for Human Resources. As such he was involved in all negotiations to extend existing players contracts at Celtic Park, in the sale of players to other clubs and in the arrival of new players and footballing staff to Celtic. He was known to be involved in tying up the contracts of Stiliyan Petrov and Rafael Scheidt, in the attempted re-contract and then sale of Mark Viduka and was heavily involved in all the negotiations to bring a new Head Coach to Celtic after the sacking of John Barnes in February 2000. He was also involved in the cost cutting exercises undertaken on the orders of club chairman Brian Quinn in an attempt to reduce debt levels at the club.
When Allan MacDonald resigned from Celtic in September 2000 and left in January 2001, Jim Hone stayed on as Contracts Director and appears to have enjoyed the confidence of both the football operations staff and the Board. He was involved in negotiations to bring all Martin O’Neill’s signings to the club in 2000 and 2001.
He appears to have resigned in October 2003 . There is a suggestion that he fell prey to the cost cutting exercises that he was part of. He was not replaced as Contracts Manager and his remit was covered by the new Chief Executive, Peter Lawell.
He subsequently went on to become Chief Executive at Fulham. He was appointed Chief Executive of Southampton Football club in June 2006 and resigned from there in March 2008.