Peter Lawwell

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Peter T Lawwell – CEO

aka: Peter Lawell
Born: 27 May 1959
Started: 2003 (as CEO)
Ended: June 2021 (as CEO)
Started: 1 Dec 2022 (as Non-Exec Chairman)

Joined in November 2003 from his position as commercial director with ports and property company, Clydeport. Previously held the position of financial controller at Celtic Park from 1990 to 1991 after filling a number of senior executive positions with international organisations such as ICI and Hoffman-La-Roche and Scottish Coal.

Peter Lawwell is possibly the most successful Chief Exec this club have had to date, however that success has itself created a lot of enemies both within the support as much as outwith. Smart, swathe and composed, he is perfect for this modern media age, and he uses it well.

A long relationship with the club since the old days of the early nineties, he more than knows the whole club, and as a genuine supporter understands the nuances of the support. If anything, having seen the club at its worst under the Old Biscuit Tin board he has learnt the costs of mismanagement.

Those who doubt his ability need only look across the city to her fate of the now defunct Rangers/Deidco and their long line of money men. Across Scottish football there are plenty of other incompetents. Lawwell therefore stands out.

The problem was thought at the start that Celtic had overreached a tad over season 2002/03. The Road to Seville was an incredible but financially it didn’t work out in the same way, as the UEFA Cup did not generate the financial returns as it should. Hence when Lawwell came in, he had the unenviable task of reining things in, which sped up once Strachan arrived. In fairness, it had to be done, all organisations have to live within their means.

Despite that difficult initial remit, he achieved at the club with his aides some great standouts:

• Generally good/prudent financial management of the club.
• Tackling Rangers, in a staged joint media conference with Rangers counterpart Martin Bains, he made some humorous jibes which easily put them in their place and helped to clear the name of our club following a tumultuous match v Rangers recently.
• Roles through European football.
• Out manoeuvring the SFA who tried to get Newco/The Rangers back into the top tier league, saying no they should start at bottom.
• Standing by Neil Lennon in his first stint when practically all wanted him out after the embarrassing 3-0 defeat to Kilmarnock. Took guts to do this than take the easy option, and it paid off in this case.
• The rebuilding of the forefront of the Celtic Park area.
• Record domestic kit deals, which was great, such as with New Balance, Nike & Adidas.
• Humiliating Rangers announcement on ludicrous moonbeam transfer amounts for Jelavic.
• The generally good press and media management, something that was a bane in the past.
• The improved management of issues with the SFA & other authorities. Remember he has had to handle situations which the Green Brigade have put the club into difficult situations with their banners. Not easy.
• The plans for the further renovation around Celtic Park, to include a museum and hotel.
• Being the board support behind the managers to achieve nine in a row and the incredible quadruple treble

He has often played a blinder when tackling his foes, and even when the press tried to devalue him, he seemed to always bounce back. NewCo fans like to try to make out that he controlled the SFA, you don’t need to be a genius to figure out that is nonsense.

His main critics generally covered the generally left wing politicos (like the Green Brigade), the perennially frustrated supporters and other keyboard militants.

You have to add that Lawwell had to balance up the different authorities and supporters factions. It’s possibly fair to say that no other Celtic head has ever done it so much better. When you look back over the thirty years prior to his appointment, the club’s management had been marked by continual rifts with authorities with Fergus McCann or the old Biscuit Tin board. Granted a lot of that was due to the Hun’s hegemony of the system, but Lawwell steered the control away from them. That was healthy for the game.

In fairness, one issue that has irked many supporters he been his pay. He has been paid handsome amounts with his bonuses, sometimes excessively and this is something that has irked fans especially as numbers attending the matches was falling as his pay rose . Yet he was being paid the going rate in the market whether people liked it or not. He had been targeted by clubs down south but opted to remain, that in itself shows his commitment to the club were he could have made a mint away from Celtic.

The club had stuttered at times during his reign but nothing is easy in the lopsided football environment in European football. Stuck in a rut we are not going anywhere but men like Lawwell try their best. Issues like the appointment of Mowbray are criticised but few disagreed with it at the time, but should have been cut faster. Transfer budgets are no easy issue either, and simply we can’t compete anymore with the megaclubs in Europe.

Maybe some have to compare the work & success that Lawwell has had when compared to his counterparts at comparable clubs. Celtic has done well over his time at the club, and this is despite the odds being increasingly stacked against clubs from smaller countries.

You have to respect that he and his admin have taken calculated risks, and not often the easy choice. When Deila was brought in as manager, the board supported him even when after the debacles in the European Cup qualifiers. It was a high risk appointment but understandable, and the board gave him a chance. It didn’t work out but at least Deila was given the opportunity with support, and left with some respect.

However, one man was to turn everything around for Celtic, and Lawwell worked perfectly as support to Brendan Rodgers as manager. The leeway that Rodgers incredibly success at Celtic gave everyone was perfect. Financially it boosted Celtic, and Lawwell managed the finances very well, with regular commentary on the frugal nature of the club’s management. There were still big question marks on transfers in & out, with many calling certain transfers as ‘Lawwell transfers’ (i.e. not sanctioned by Rodgers), and in time it was felt that Rodger departure was in part due to friction with Lawwell. If silverware was the basis, then praise had to be given to Lawwell and the board as much as to the coaches.

It all ended in season 2020/21. After nine years of dominance, and records broken, Lawwell was seen by some as near untouchable. However, one big decision was to be his downfall. The premature departure of Brendan Rodgers meant a new manager had to be brought in, and the appointment of Neil Lennon was a poor myopic option that was to backfire. After a successful albeit concerning 2019/20 season, where Celtic continued on the back of previous successes, the Covid era hit and combined with Lennon’s poor management, everything just went wrong. Lennon’s transfer dealings went awry, Celtic crashed out of Europe and were humiliated, the side had reversed all its previous gains and had allowed Sevco to leapfrog Celtic to take the league title and stop achieving the coveted march for ten league titles in a row. Lawwell’s judgement was questioned, and repeatedly and wholly justifiably, the support called for Lennon to be culled, but Lawwell stuck by him.

In season 2020/21, there were so many opportunities to cut Lennon or to at least announce his departure in time for a transition to a new manager, but they were not taken so Lawwell’s judgement & leadership was questioned heavily. Lennon was underfire as much as the manager, and when a Dubai trip went wrong with two players returning with covid, it led to jumped up media men and politicians getting on his back. If anything, Lawwell’s inability to cut Lennon after so many setbacks over his second stint appeared to indicate a complete indifference or lack of acknowledgement of the situation.

Additionally, there was a lot of frustration which had been building by the support. Granted a great deal with Adidas, but much else with contact with the support was seen as sub-standard, especially online and Celtic TV. Many were feeling that the support was being taken too much for granted. A new approach was needed. Add in the often lukewarm response from the board to acting against Sevco’s actions on anything, it didn’t endear many.

After 17 years, it was time to step down, which he announced to be done in June 2021. Despite the difficulties of the last couple of years. Lawwell’s time has been very successful overall.

We wish him the best.

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Non-Exec Chairman

In what was a non-wholly surprise move, Peter Lawwell was appointed as the ‘non-executive Chairman’ of the club and back as a director in Dec 2022 to start on 1 January 2023, to succeed the departing (& highly unpopular) Ian Bankier.

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Quotes

“Everything we do, we look for value. You’ve just got to be strong to your principles and do the right thing.”
Peter Lawwell, Celtic Chief Executive on Celtic’s ethos (Sep 2013)

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From 2 Sep 2011

Lawwell logic remains paramount at Parkhead

Thursday 6 October 2011

A careful pair of hands undoubtedly but Celtic supporters are still asking questions of their chief executive, writes Richard Wilson

The Celtic fan in Peter Lawwell has twice been influential. The first time was when he decided to apply for the position of executive director, head of operations, at Celtic Park in 2003; the second was when he was courted by Arsenal in 2008 only to inform them that he was not interested in becoming their chief executive. Otherwise, during his time at the club, Lawwell has suppressed his instincts as a supporter.

That, at least, is the way that Celtic fans view it. They believe that he has refused to spend the money required to win the title back from Rangers, prioritising the club’s financial position at the expense of the team’s success. While some Celtic supporters will grumble about Neil Lennon’s selection decisions, a larger number consider the chief executive to blame for Rangers winning three championships in a row.

Immediately after the 2-0 defeat by Hearts at Tynecastle, Lawwell had to mingle with supporters and journalists outside the ground after the fire alarm went off. He worked his way through the small crowd with a confident poise, attentively dispensing greetings and encountering no derision. Yet it exists within the Parkhead support, having grown from the moment in January 2009 when Hibernian reacted to Celtic’s interest in Steven Fletcher by holding out for £3m.

At the time, Gordon Strachan’s side were four points ahead of Rangers in the league, but ended the season as runners-up. The narrative that grew out of that turnaround was that if Lawwell had sanctioned the £3m bid for Fletcher — who ultimately moved to Burnley for that amount, then on to Wolves for £6.5m — then Celtic would have won their fourth title in a row, instead of allowing the balance of power to switch to Ibrox.

The logic is too simplistic, of course. What if Fletcher had been injured, or taken some time to adjust to the demands of playing for the Old Firm (as many other players have done when arriving from another Scottish club)? Football fans need a scapegoat, and the depiction of Lawwell as an accountant more interested in prudence than glory has become ingrained as Rangers have wracked up trophies while suffering the heavy debt that was a consequence of Sir David Murray’s extravagant spending and the threat of a significant tax bill from HRMC.

Even now, as Celtic sit 10 points behind their rivals, albeit with a game in hand, the grim wit of Glasgow depicts a scenario where the Ibrox side are able to win the league despite suffering a points deduction for suffering administration. There is an over-reaction among Celtic fans to Rangers being ahead, since the season is only 10 games old; Lennon’s side have looked a little jaded and disjointed, but the momentum they gathered from winning 2-0 at Ibrox last January carried them to the cusp of the title, until they suffered a loss of nerve in Inverness.

A similar run could still be possible, but the fear of Celtic supporters is that they slip further behind Rangers. They wonder why a goalkeeper hasn’t been signed on a permanent contract, why another dominant centre-back was not recruited to partner Kelvin Wilson and why a new striker wasn’t bought to play alongside Gary Hooper. The reason always comes back to Lawwell, but then it also misses the point of his role. There is a reason why he has survived longer than any of his four predecessors — Terry Cassidy, Jock Brown, Allan MacDonald and Ian McLeod — and it is because, despite the fortunes of the team fluctuating, off the field Celtic have grown in strength and stability.

The club’s debt was once as high as £29.62m in 2001, but the last published figures in August 2011 showed that figure had fallen from £5.85m to £530,000, with revenue down by £9m to £52.6m, but a profit raised of £100,000. That kind of shrewdness is an empty solace to supporters, but it is the reality of Celtic’s existence in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, where revenues are limited. Rangers face the same issues with income, but are also careworn by first their debt and now their tax case.

Lawwell has become a defining influence at the club, his authority only superseded by Dermot Desmond, the majority shareholder. Within the game, Lawwell is admired for his hard-headed negotiating skills, his refusal to be swayed by populist decision-making, the way he reduced the club’s wage bill and the establishment of a worldwide scouting network, while Celtic have become more bullish under his stewardship. All of which explains why he has been linked with the chief executive position at Manchester City.

An accountant, who began his working life as a trainee at Babcock Energy in 1970, Lawwell is considered a careful pair of hands. He has a low public profile, preferring to talk to journalists in private rather than in set-piece interviews, although often only when it is self-serving, while those who have worked with him talk of a fierce determination but also a deep-seated pragmatism; he retains his enthusiasm for the club while not being swayed by any emotional attachment.

There have been mistakes of judgments over transfers, but also successes, not least the sale of Aiden McGeady for £9.5m and the reinvestment strategy that brought admired players like Emilio Izaguirre, Biram Kayal and Hooper. Yet the mocking jibe that Lawwell aimed at Rangers once the transfer window had closed was crass at the time and looks even more ill-advised now.

Lawwell believes he is applying logic in an environment that is too often irrational, but he cannot lose sight of the fact it is the fortunes of the team that cast perspective on every decision. He is, for all his detachment, a hostage to Celtic’s results, like everybody else at the club.

Lawwell to help Celtic get down to business

The Scotsman

Published on Friday 26 September 2003 01:00

HAVING previously worked for one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, Peter Lawwell will hope he can be the cure to what has been a persistent headache for Celtic.

The 44-year-old Glasgow businessman was yesterday announced as the replacement for Ian McLeod, who vacated the position of chief executive at the Parkhead club in April this year.

Significantly, however, Lawwell will not inherit the title of chief executive which has appeared akin to a curse at times to predecessors such as McLeod, Allan MacDonald and Terry Cassidy.

Lawwell, in fact, was employed by Celtic as financial controller from 1990 to 1991 during the tenure of the colourful and controversial Cassidy. A lifelong supporter of the club, he returns to a very different set-up in the role of Executive Director, Head of Operations.

It is an unwieldy title but his job description remains the same as that applied to a chief executive. Celtic, however, are keen to let it be seen that no-one at the club holds a more prominent or significant role than manager Martin O’Neill.

“Basically, this is recognition that football comes first and that everything else is there to support the football side of the business,” said a club spokesman.

Lawwell, who has been commercial director of the Clydeport property company for the past three years, was previously chief executive of Scottish Coal and has also held senior management positions with ICI and Hoffman-La-Roche, the US pharmaceutical giant.

Married with three children, Lawwell is regarded as a pragmatic, driven and successful businessman. Those who know him well describe an engaging, charismatic figure who is expected to come across well as a public face of Celtic.

Those Celtic supporters who believe their passion for the club should be shared by those in such positions will be gratified to learn that Lawwell can rhyme off the names of the Lisbon Lions from one to 11, in alphabetical order or by dates of birth.

“This is a job I have coveted for many years and I can’t wait to get started,” said Lawwell. “Celtic is a unique organisation, from its unrivalled fan base and its sporting traditions, to its footballing and commercial potential.

“From my previous time at Celtic, I have a true appreciation of the demands which will be placed upon me in my new role and I’m relishing the opportunity.

“The success of Celtic plc depends, to an enormous degree, upon the team’s success on the pitch, and one of my key roles will be to work closely with Martin O’Neill and ensure that he has every possible support to help deliver the winning performances that everyone wants to see, from the fans and the players to the staff and the investors.”

Brian Quinn, the Celtic chairman who has in effect been carrying out the chief executive duties since McLeod’s departure, is naturally convinced his board have landed the right man for the job.

“We made it clear when we started this process that we would take our time to ensure we got the right person,” said Quinn. “As you would expect, the standard of applicant for this crucial position was excellent and those we interviewed were of the highest calibre, therefore we are delighted to have secured someone of Peter’s proven ability.

“His business pedigree, coupled with his vision for the club and obvious passion for Celtic made him the outstanding candidate.

“His role reflects the fact that football companies are different from most in that almost everything depends upon footballing success.

“Therefore, Peter will be responsible for overseeing all operations of a non-footballing nature to ensure that the highest levels of infrastructure and support are available to the manager.”

O’Neill, with whom it is vital Lawwell develops a fruitful working relationship, also issued a welcome to the new man.

“The success of Celtic is very much a team effort on the part of everyone associated with the club,” said O’Neill. “Peter’s commitment to Celtic is clear and I am sure that he will make an extremely valuable contribution to helping the club achieve its goals.”

Lawwell will take up his new post once he has agreed a notice period with his current employers, probably at the end of October or start of November.

Meanwhile, on the pitch, Alan Thompson has attempted to dampen down the growing clamour for his promotion to the England squad by insisting his only concern is Celtic.

Thompson has been in outstanding form this season, causing O’Neill to speculation that he may be the answer to England’s ‘problem’ position on the left side of midfield. The player insists, however, that a call-up from Sven Goran Eriksson is not something he will lose sleep over.

“It’s not something that I think about,” Thompson said yesterday. “I think that he [Eriksson] has been up to see Celtic play, so it’s just one of those things.

“The England team is full of good players and good players can play anywhere. They have people who can perform on that side so all I am concerned about is getting on with what I am doing at Celtic. That’s what is important.”

Lawwell reported over Blues quip

CELTIC chief executive Peter Lawwell was the target of an angry Rangers backlash last night after poking fun at the club during the Hoops’ AGM.
Evening Times Nov 2013
The Bhoys supremo ruffled the feathers of his city rivals when he was asked about the Ibrox side being the same institution it was prior to liquidation, with Lawwell replying: “Rory Bremner can pretend to be Tony Blair.”

The chief executive, who is also on the SFA board, later claimed he was trying to “inject a bit of humour” into proceedings at Parkhead.

However, The Ibrox club last night reacted sharply to his remark, stating they plan to take action and notify the “relevant football authorities”.

A statement read: “The club are disappointed with the comments attributed to Celtic Chief Executive Peter Lawwell earlier today.

“Rangers Football Club, now in its 141st year, has a proud history which has been recognised by the football authorities and was noted in a recent SPL Commission determination.

“The Club will now take this matter up with the relevant football authorities.”

Celtic chairman Ian Bankier had enjoyed a similar joke when he had introduced the board at the beginning of the meeting.

Stopping at Ian Livingston, who became a lifelong peer of the House of Lords this year, Bankier stated: “Ian has been elevated to the House of Lords and has taken the title of Lord Livingston of Parkhead.

“I thought he would go with Lord Livingston of Ibrox – so he could lord it over Rangers.”

Bankier got another laugh when he said that the asset value of the club is in Celtic’s hands.

He went on to say he wasn’t going to show title deeds, a throwaway line that raised a chuckle.

Meanwhile, Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster finally earned his first England cap last night after he started for the Three Lions against Chile at Wembley.

The Hoops No.1 has been in terrific form both domestically and in the Champions Leauge of late, with the form of regular England No.1 Joe Hart called into question in recent weeks.

The Manchester City shot stopper has been dropped for his club due to his form, and national boss Roy Hodgson saw last night’s challenge match to give Forster his first taste of national service.

Lesson in canny football team management

February 24, 2013 11:39 pm Ft.com By Mure Dickie
Peter Lawwell of Celtic marshalled his resources to keep club afloat, says Mure Dickie Glasgow, one of the world’s most football-mad cities and a hotbed of near-tribal team rivalries, might not seem an obvious place for a lesson in the principles of sensible soccer business management. Indeed, the biggest sports story of recent years in Scotland’s second city has been the disaster at once-mighty local club Rangers, which was forced into liquidation by hefty debts and controversial tax liabilities and now labours in the lowly third division.

But while Rangers offers a stark example of the dangers faced by even the world’s most famous football clubs in an era of soaring player wages, just across town can be found a much more positive footballing case study in the form of Celtic FC. Amid a flood of financial disaster across the Scottish game and beyond, Celtic finds itself virtually high and dry, debt free – even as it relishes the achievement of making it to the last-16 stage of Europe’s Champions League competition.

So what is the secret of the fine flush of health being enjoyed by a club that celebrated its 125th birthday in November? In part, says Peter Lawwell, chief executive, it is about simply keeping a level head when all about you other football executives are losing theirs. “I think in football, in particular, it’s so easy to be seduced by the highs and too depressed by the lows,” Mr Lawwell says in an interview in the stadium some fans call Paradise. “[Success comes from] keeping on a business footing.”

For Celtic, a key turning point came more than half a decade ago, when the club realised it could not compete on a financial basis at the top European level. Ticket sales to a large and loyal local support were increasingly outweighed by the importance of television rights revenues. And an ever more overheated international market in football talent sent salaries for the best players skyward.

For Celtic, stuck in the Scottish league without the global audience commanded by southern neighbour England, playing the new business game could have been disastrous. TV rights to the Scottish Premier League generate less than 1 per cent of the income attracted by its English counterpart, says Mr Lawwell, leaving Celtic no choice but to find new ways to success. One response was to forgo buying successful players with high transfer price tags and hefty salaries.

So, when Celtic saw it could not match the wage bill of its European competitors, it actually took “several million” pounds from its budget for the club’s first team and put it into training, recruitment and sports science. It was, as Mr Lawwell says, “quite a brave thing to do”.

Yet while some fans grumbled, the focus on ­finding and developing new talent has given Celtic a pool of young players that are an investment as well as a cost. By casting its recruitment net widely, the club has also been able to build a presence in overseas ­markets where Scottish football would otherwise make little mark.

In a high-profile example of the strategy, Celtic bought South Korean midfielder Ki Sung-yueng from FC Seoul in 2010. Ki was not only “man of the match” in Celtic’s 2011 Scottish Cup final victory, he made South Korea the second biggest market after Scotland for sales of its Nike replica kits. And the sale of Ki to Swansea last August for a reported £6m also accounted for the bulk of the £5.2m profit from transfer market trading that the club reported in its interim results this month.

Repeating such tricks will be harder as other teams join the trend toward more sophisticated analysis of sporting talent.

And Celtic will also pay a price for Rangers’ woes: the rivalry between the “Old Firm” as the two Glasgow teams are known has long been a driver of ticket sales and interest. Still, the lack of Old Firm games this season has been more than offset by European success, even though a 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Italy’s Juventus this month looks set to end Celtic’s Champions League run.

And Mr Lawwell insists that the club will remain firmly focused on long-term benefit rather than short-term gains, no matter how heated sentiment gets in the stadium. “Everything we do, we look for value,” he says.

“You’ve just got to be strong to your principles and do the right thing.” Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2013. You may share using our article tools. Please don’t cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web.

Interview

EXCLUSIVE by ROBERT GRIEVE
06:56, 11 May 2016
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Peter Lawwell: Celtic are ready for any title challenge next season
EXCLUSIVE: HOOPS chief Lawwell broke his silence

THEY couldn’t even spell his name correctly.

But Peter Lawwell — two Ws, not one — didn’t squirm or shift in his directors’ box seat as that banner was unfurled.

Instead he just shrugged.

Sure, the Parkhead chief executive would love to be Mr Popular with each and every one of the club’s 40,500 season-ticket holders.

But that’s just not realistic.

Not when the words ‘Lawwell and Desmond’s legacy, empty jerseys, empty hearts, empty dreams and empty stands’ are written in five-foot high letters.

But then if there’s one thing the 56-year-old has urged supporters to hold onto during his 12-year tenure at the club, it’s realism.

On and off the park that’s all he says he’s interested in — as he urges those fans who demand big changes and big-money signings to do the same.

Lawwell told SunSport: “Supporters are very much entitled to their opinion.

“When things don’t go as well as they hope then there is always somebody to blame. In terms of the banners I don’t take that personally.

“I take it as a sign of the times, but the answer is this: If I’m not here, then there will be a new me.

“And he’s not suddenly going to find tens of millions of pounds stuffed in the bottom drawer. And he’s only going to try and do the same things that I’ve been doing to maximise the future of this club.

“Listen, I can understand why people on the outside looking in have their opinions but they don’t actually know how the club is run.

“We see it at the Emirates, we see it at Goodison and Villa. That’s where we are in today’s society. When supporters become frustrated and disappointed they look for people to blame.

“At first it was Ronny who got it and he’s now going so the sights are trained on me but my view is that, as a club, we’re in very good shape.

“We’ve had a very, very tough year but we look forward with a new manager and a new beginning.

“At the moment I’m focused on getting the right manager in and preparing for the new season.

“Criticism is par for the course when you’ve been at the club as long as I have. There are going to be lows and you’re going to get it in the neck. It’s the same for Dermot who’s been here even longer.

“I can understand why it happens because the supporters always look for more. But my life is based on reality, not perception. I know exactly where we are as a club. We’re in a good place.

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Frustrated Celtic fans make their feelings clear towards the board

“If I decide to go or the board decides it’s time for me to go, then the club is merely going to get a new me. Now the new me might be better but he might not be as good. But the club will continue down the same track.”

Lawwell could have upped and left long ago. He could have easily accepted one of the enticing offers from England of much more money for far less grief.

And frankly when Celtic supporters think of that prospect there will be many of them who wish to hell he had. But he didn’t, for one reason.

Lawwell added: “I love the club. If it was about the money I wouldn’t be here. I’ve had opportunities to go — for a LOT of money — but I chose to stay.

“It’s not just been one opportunity either. But Celtic is my life. It’s more than a job, it’s a passion.

“I’ve supported Celtic all my life. I’d like to think when I do eventually go I can look back and say: ‘I did this, that and the next thing’.

“You’ve got social media and the bloggers, posters and trolls who think they know what’s going on at the club. They don’t.

“They don’t have all the information. The reality is different from their perception and I need to deal with reality every day.

“But criticism comes with living a public life in 2016. People dislike me having never met me, but that goes with the territory and you either put up with it or you don’t.

“And at the moment I’m putting up with it because I’ve got things to do. But I’ll be honest, the job is all-consuming, it’s 24/7.

“There is very little time in my life when I don’t think about Celtic and my job.”

Lawwell’s priority right now is to identify and appoint a manager to take Celtic into the Champions League. To do what Ronny Deila couldn’t.

But whether it’s Moyes, Rodgers, Lennon, Keane or AN Other what’s certain is that there isn’t going to be a huge pot of money to spend.

Lawwell added: “We’d love to go to the new manager and say we have a £40million warchest or a £50m warchest to buy the best and go for it.

“But we play in Scotland, we don’t have that. The reality is we don’t have an alternative to what we’re doing. For me that’s an exciting project for the right manager, the right guy. This is Celtic.

“It’s an iconic club, one of the biggest in the world. Even today we’re highly regarded as one of the best-run clubs in Europe.

“There is an excitement here which should be an attraction for somebody to come, get a hold of it and take us back into the Champions League.

“If your ambitions are to win the Scottish Premier League and move on then I can see that. But our ambition is to go further so for me it’s a very attractive proposition for somebody who wants to come in and create something.

“We get criticised for our strategy but I just don’t see any alternative. Everything we take out we put back in. But that’s it.

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“We’re not going to take on any debt. We don’t have any other resources other than the ones we create for ourselves but that’s fine because we’ll spend everything we can. But it’s about getting the right manager to spend it wisely.”

Celtic won’t speculate to accumulate. The argument that spending just slightly more — say £20m on players — would boost their chances of reaching the Champions League group stages doesn’t wash with the Parkhead chief exec.

He added: “It might. But if we take the club into £20m worth of debt, and it doesn’t happen, where does that leave us?

“For a Scottish club to owe that kind of money leads to trouble. You don’t have to look very far to see the consequences of people trying things which ‘might’ happen.

“That is something we will not do. But it’s not like we don’t spend money — our average is £10m a year on transfers.

“We can be flexible but we’re not going to take on debt which could ultimately be very dangerous.”

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Lawwell on Broony…Brown
Kenny Ramsay – The Sun Glasgow

PETER LAWWELL has defended under-fire Scott Brown and insisted criticism of the Celtic skipper is unfair.

The Parkhead chief executive paid a glowing tribute to the Scotland midfielder, branding him a true leader of men. Lawwell said: “Scott has had criticism which is a sign of the frustration and apathy.

“But then I don’t know who hasn’t been getting it tight around the place.

“But I would pay special tribute to Scott, who has held the team together in terms of his leadership.

“He’s played with his tendonitis and gone through a lot of games when he’s not been 100-per-cent fit.

“He’s now going to get a break, he’ll have seven weeks off, and I’m sure he’ll be back roaring.

“But he should take credit, not criticism, for being the leader and captain. He’s been fantastic and has already started coaching the younger lads, which is great.

“Hopefully there will be opportunities here for him later on.”

Lawwell on Tierney…
Tierney
Kenny Ramsay – The Sun Glasgow

PETER LAWWELL has confirmed Young Player of the Year Kieran Tierney is set to land a bumper new deal at Celtic.

SunSport revealed yesterday that the teenage left-back will be offered a five-year contract and a well-earned pay rise.

The home-grown kid has already been hailed as the best young player at the club’s end-of-season ceremony, and he was also named the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year.

He’s a frontrunner for the Scottish Football Writers’ Association award in Glasgow this weekend.

Now Celts hope to protect their asset by securing him on a new deal, with talks expected to start with his agent within weeks.

Lawwell said: “Kieran has three years left after the summer.

“He’s done brilliantly well and normally when that happens we’ll sit down with them and try to reward them.

“We’ll do that with Kieran and look to extend his contract. I’m sure that’ll happen over the summer.

“The kid wants to stay and we’re eager for him to stay.”

Lawwell on the Green Brigade…
GB

PETER LAWWELL insists he does not have a broken relationship with the Green Brigade.

The Hoops supremo has held talks with the fans’ group after flashpoints at domestic and European games, and says they share the common goal of ensuring Celts improve on the field.

He said: “I’ve met with those boys on several occasions. They have come into Celtic Park and they’re nice lads.

“They’re Celtic supporters. Most of the time they’re so positive for the club but there are times when there is a display or flares which is disappointing.

“It’s not always necessarily the guys in the Green Brigade, there are fans who attach themselves to the group, so I think at times they get a hard time.

“It’s the times when things happen which tarnish the reputation of the club that are disappointing. It creates headlines around our supporters which I don’t think they deserve.

“It’s a broad church with hundreds of thousands of supporters and at times when a few let you down it tarnishes everybody.

“Every club has Ultra fans. They’re going to be at the games whether they’re up in the one section or somewhere else. But we have dialogue with them

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell to step down in summer after 17 years

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jan/29/celtic-chief-executive-peter-lawwell-to-step-down-in-summer-after-17-years?utm_medium
Celtic have won 29 trophies on his watch
Scottish Rugby’s Dominic McKay to replace him
PA Media
Fri 29 Jan 2021 08.15 GMT

Last modified on Fri 29 Jan 2021 09.15 GMT

Celtic’s chief executive, Peter Lawwell, is to retire in the summer after 17 years with the Scottish Premiership champions.

The 61-year-old will step down at the end of June after overseeing a period of success that has seen the club win 29 trophies, including 13 league titles.

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Scottish Rugby’s chief operating officer, Dominic McKay, will take over from Lawwell in July.

Lawwell, a divisive figure among Celtic’s support, said: “It has been an enormous privilege to have served the club and our supporters for more than 17 years – a wonderful honour to have been part of an institution I have loved and supported all my life.

“I will always be very proud of what we have achieved together and it has been a particular privilege to be involved throughout a period in the club’s history which has brought immense domestic success – as well as so many great European nights at Celtic Park.”

Celtic, the nine-in-a-row champions, are 23 points behind league the leaders Rangers with three games in hand.

Lawwell said: “I first discussed the possibility of my retirement with the chairman last year and we were keen to ensure an orderly handover to a new CEO once we had found the right candidate.

“Now that the process to select Dominic McKay as my successor is complete, I feel the time is now right to announce my retirement at the end of this season.”

By David Potter 29 January, 2021 No Comments (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

It is not fashionable for Celtic fans to show any sort of liking for Peter Lawwell these days, but I have always felt that a more balanced and compassionate assessment of this man’s contribution to the club over the past 17 years well show just how much Celtic are indebted to him.

On the asset side, since 2004 (and not including 2004 itself) by my reckoning, there have been 11 Scottish League titles out of 17, 8 Scottish Cups and 7 Scottish League Cups.

It would be difficult to find in Celtic history such a period of sustained success over such a long time. The club is financially in a good position. Unlike other institutions in Glasgow and Edinburgh, Celtic did not go bust at any point, the ground has been well maintained and our inability to go there in recent months is a subject of much nostalgia and pain.

Great services have been rendered, in the tradition of the club, to many deserving charitable institutions, and it has been a pleasure and an honour to be a Celtic supporter. There have been great players and great performances. A quadruple treble must surely excite some admiration from even the most depressed and grudging of supporters. It certainly excites admiration and even jealousy elsewhere.

The two debits are the repeated inability to make any impact on Europe, and the recent debacle over Dubai which just seems to sum up this horrible season. To his credit, Peter Lawwell has admitted that Dubai was a mistake, but it has happened, we suffered for it, and we have now to move on. We all know that the Scottish League has long gone for this year, but there remains the Scottish Cup. It would be nice to win it five years in a row and twice in the one season! It would be a fine departing present for Mr Lawwell.
He has always been polite and gracious, not afraid to face supporters and he is clearly one of us. The sad events of this year will have affected him just as much as they have affected us, but I think he can look back on his years with the club with a great deal more happiness than angst.

In the meantime let’s all get behind the club and the players and win that Scottish Cup. Summer will change things, we all know that, although in what direction we can only guess. I want to see 5 Scottish Cups in a row, so, for the rest of the season, I am backing Lawwell and Lennon. Are you?David Potter

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Peter Lawwell’s new Celtic role: What Desmond, Postecoglou, Bankier and man himself had to say about appointment

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/peter-lawwells-new-celtic-role-what-desmond-postecoglou-bankier-and-man-himself-had-to-say-about-appointment-3940072
Celtic have announced that Peter Lawwell will take up the role of non-executive chairman of the club next month.
Mark Atkinson
By Mark Atkinson
2 hours ago
Updated
1 hour ago
Peter Lawwell during a cinch Premiership match between Celtic and Hibernian at Celtic Park, on October 15, 2022.
Peter Lawwell during a cinch Premiership match between Celtic and Hibernian at Celtic Park, on October 15, 2022.

Lawwell retired from his position as Celtic’s chief executive at the end of June 2021 following 18 years in the post. The 63-year-old, however, will be back within the Celtic Park hierarchy from January 1, 2023 after the Glasgow outfit announced his appointment to the stock exchange. Lawwell takes over from outgoing chairman Ian Bankier, who is retiring.

A statement from Celtic read: “Celtic is pleased to announce the appointment of Peter Lawwell as a director of Celtic plc and its new Non-Executive Chairman. Peter will take up his new role from January 1st, 2023, following the retirement of current Chairman, Ian Bankier. Peter returns to Celtic plc as Non-Executive Chairman after previously being Celtic’s Chief Executive for almost 18 years, a position he retired from in the summer of 2021. During his tenure as Chief Executive, the Club won 29 trophies, including 13 league titles and an unprecedented Quadruple Treble, enjoying a period of sustained growth and success. Following his retirement as Chief Executive, Peter has continued as a director of Celtic Football and Athletic Company Limited, representing the Club as a board member of the European Club Association.”

Lawwell told the Celtic website: “As a lifelong Celtic supporter it is a great privilege to be asked to take up the position of Chairman, having already been part of our great Club for nearly 18 years. These are exciting times for the Club and I look forward to contributing to the well-being and success of the Club. Our objective as ever will be to grow and further develop the Club across all areas. Led by an excellent Chief Executive in Michael Nicholson, and Chief Financial Officer Chris McKay, the Club has a high-quality management team in place. I will be offering my support and guidance to the Board and executive management team to ensure that we continue to drive the Club forward and protect and promote the interests of our supporters.”

Nicholson, who replaced Lawwell as CEO after his departure and has a strong working relationship with current manager Ange Postecoglou, said: “We are delighted to welcome Peter as Chairman and I look forward to working with him as we continue to progress and develop the Club. Peter has a wealth of experience in the football industry at a domestic, European and global level, which is invaluable to the Club going forward. Our collective objective is to create a world-class football club that our supporters can be proud of, competing at the highest level, with a strategy based on growth and continuous improvement. On behalf of the Board, and all of our colleagues at the Club, I thank Ian Bankier for his service and contribution to our Club, and wish him and his family the best for the future.”

Celtic’s principal shareholder Dermot Desmond, who has worked with Lawwell for many years, commented: “I am delighted that Peter has agreed to take up the position of Chairman. He is the outstanding candidate. Peter is a man of the highest quality, someone who has served the Club already with real commitment and expertise and his experience and knowledge of the club, as well as of the wider global football environment, will help continue to drive the Club forward. He is perfectly placed to work with Michael Nicholson, Chris McKay and the Board to ensure we continue to compete in Scottish and European football and to manage the challenges and opportunities in a European context. I would also like to thank Ian Bankier for his excellent contribution to Celtic over a number of years. I join everyone at the Club in wishing him and his family every success for the future.”

Postecoglou added: “It is fantastic news for the Club that Peter will be taking up the role of Chairman. He was instrumental in bringing me to Celtic, I know the love he has for the Club and I know that his wealth of experience and knowledge will be invaluable to us all as we move forward together. I would also like to wish Ian and his family all the very best for the future.”

Bankier, who stands down at the end of the year, said: “I am pleased that Peter has agreed to take on the role of Non-Executive Chairman. Against any reasonable benchmark, Celtic has prospered over the last decade and beyond. This is in no small part down to the stability of the Club and the retention of knowledge and experience. Peter will be a most effective sounding board for the executive and a fine representative both domestically and abroad. I would like to thank everyone at Celtic for their support during my term of office. I shall miss them all. I wish the Club and the Celtic support all the very best for the future.”

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