The real story of Celtic in Scottish football in recent decades will never be written, hidden in a fog of “You can’t use that”, the most-spoken words in the game. Suffice to say, Peter Lawwell carried responsibility for successes and failures for most of that period, 18 years when he was liable for them, three when he was not.
Let’s break that rule for one matter. In October 2011 he learned Rangers, then under the control of Craig Whyte, were planning to present a take-it-or-leave-it option to the Scottish Premier League and SFA. Mired in debt with three HMRC claims against them, they wanted to liquidate, phoenix and have Newco Rangers complete Oldco’s fixtures. They were 10 points clear at the top of the table and the plan would have left them debt-free, with a points penalty but able to sign players in January.
When the story broke the following February, some in the media, administrators and some clubs presented the issue as a question of survival or extinction for Scottish football. “It will invalidate the TV deal”, “No one will come if there is no contest”, we were told.
I heard from Peter before I wrote this article on 27 October 2011 on the prepack route for Rangers Newco FC. He started the campaign, saying “We need to stop this. Get fans and other clubs involved.” He believed Celtic, having lived within their means while watching Rangers carry-off the previous three league titles, would never recover if Newco Rangers were able to phoenix and carry on as though nothing had happened. He knew it would have killed Celtic and worked to make sure it did not happen.
He called campaigning on the subject almost every day until the SPL vote in July 2012, when 10 voted against inviting Newco into the Premier League, with Kilmarnock abstaining and Rangers voting to permit Newco. A friend recently said “We’ve been lucky to win so many trophies with Rangers [sic.} nowhere.” Luck had nothing to it. This was a battle of existence, a battle for trophies and domination of Scottish football for years to come. The unprecedented haul which followed was a consequence of Lawwell’s decisions and ability to lobby other clubs. Craig Whyte had no idea what he was taking on.
In the club statement announcing his departure last week, Dermot Desmond wrote, “During Peter’s tenure, Celtic found a strong voice in Scottish football”. It cannot be over-stated how antagonistic much of Scottish football was to Celtic 21 years ago, or the change he effected during this time. Clubs did not necessarily like Celtic (or Peter), but they listened. Changes happened at the SFA and among match officials which were unthinkable in earlier times.
He left citing alarm for his family. Four years ago his home was subject to an arson attack, which thankfully damaged only property. Nine days after the attack, Eddie Howe declined to come to Celtic, as a toxic cloud rose about the club. I was surprised when he agreed to step back as chair in 2022. Celtic assessed that influence was needed, specifically at Uefa, on the proposed Financial Sustainability Regulations, which he substantially co-wrote.
This helped keep a lid on irresponsible spending in Scottish football but brought him attention he was no longer due. The biggest name attracted most angst, at a time when Lawwell had no controls over the club. Of the mistakes he will admit to making, coming back as chair will surely be the first.
He remains a very private man who came from the most working class, of working class, Glasgow environments, and who reached heights usually scaled by those with a leg-up in life. His key acquired benefit was a work ethic from a mother, the original formidale Lawwell, who held multiple jobs to support her family. Kids his age were allowed on the supporters’ bus for free. “Can I get a lift over, mister” was his ticket to a lifetime’s devotion to Celtic.
In the club’s statement, Lawwell and Desmond both refer to the 38 trophies won during his period at the club as one of “domestic dominance”. It was a generation and more of domination, and was the work of another formidable operator.
Running Celtic is probably now close to an impossible job. Few of the calibre to get the top job would want it with its unyielding abuse. We will likely pass from an time of Celtic fans in executive roles, to being another step on the football exec train.
The last few weeks have been tumultuous, to say the least. The sheer relief around the stadium on Sunday at some respite was palpable. We will find soon enough if a new seam of success has opened up for Celtic. Until then, remember those who gave you Celtic and what we can achieve with the sense of community that saw the club through enormous challenges. Take care and have a happy and restful Christmas.
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DESSYBHOY on 24TH DECEMBER 2025 6:56 PM
Transfer fees paid and received, how are they verified under FSR?
…….
Everything typed into a proformas which needs to square back to published accounts. No room for cheating,
Everyone have a good Christmas
HH
Saint Stivs
Ref Rubicon
A poster on here very occasionally.
Probably would not want to be known.
Was once a leader in his field with his own company though. And a really good guy.
BURNLEY78 re: “folk who have never actually achieved anything in their own sad little lives.”
Wow!
Seasons greetings indeed!
You can hear Trump’s voice with that shite
I reckon slicing and dicing what someone has written in order to change its context in an attempt to generate faux outrage is as Trumpian as you can get.
It’s a bit like those who try to portray criticism of a section of Celtic supporters as an “attack on [all] Celtic supporters”.
Blatant mendacity to anyone with half a brain.
Dearie me….B78 will be along soon….
From previous article:
jackiemac on 24th December 2025 1:14 pm
kevjungle- the poor of Bangladesh are suffering as a result of climate change + sea level rises.
My first world problem – get through SEVEN BRIDES AND SEVEN BROTHERS for the umpteenth time.
……..
Climate Change is caused by NATO bombing half of the World back to the Stone Ages.
And Billionares with yachts, private jets, and now data centres being built everywhere to push A.I bs everywhere is causing Climate Change/Global Warming, and other narratives to be pushed.
BUT.
All of this malarkey is caused by the same people who lie about every other narrative.
Wanting Cows killed because they cause GW/CC bs is pushed by Green Party scumbags who are led by a guy who had to change his name but the media who are paid by the Lobby to kiss his ass don’t want you to know that!
I wonder why?
A.I. PALANTIR Killing machines, drones, robots, robot dogs, etc, etc, etc, have ALL of our Internet histories and are coming to get those who are seen as problematic.
Facilitated by MILLIONS of 5G/6G/Towers that were all built and covered with tree branches next to trees around schools, Hospitals, etc, whilst the World was locked down for a fake virus, which was created in a USA Lab and is still being sprayed over us all every day from the planes in the sky.
Covid was a fake virus which no one had unless they took a back-doored PCR Test whiich gives off 97% positive results.
If you had the common cold, flu, pnuemonia[sp] then the PCR test says you have Covid 19.
So that you will panic after being gaslit by the lying media or lying krankie and run out to get vaccinated.
If you get chicken pox – then you have immunity to Chicken pox.
Same with, measles, flu, etc, etc, etc.
Its as though ALL immune systems created by God, must be banned or vaccinated and made inoperable before school age. Imho.
Children’s immune systems are being deliberately destroyed before they even get to school, from the cradle into the vaccination room.
Before this vaccination for Children started program started, no child had Autism.
So after the first couple of Child vaccinations the Establishment realized that vaccines were giving Children Autism.
So at the start it was One child in every 10,000 who had Autism.
So the Establishment pushed vaccines for everything that they could think of, and now One Child in every 34 has Autism.
And Adults are now also getting Autism, but no one will liknk it to the vaccines unless someone can point it out to people before the well intentioned whistle blower gets smeared as a troll and is then banned, denying people information that could save them and their families lives.
Anybody mentioning this is smeared as a troll. lol
I’ve been called a troll so many times that I now have skin thicker than a heard of Rhinos.
The Prime Minister of Trinidad [I think?] took a live animal, a Goat, and a silver tray with a Kiwi Fruit, into Parliament to try out these new PCR Tests on them, to demonstrate how stupid and dangerously misleading that they are now since they have been corrupted.
And both the Goat and the Kiwi fruit tested positive for Covid 19!!!!
This was filmed and spread all over the World wide Internet of the full Parliament rolling on the floor laughing at the P### that Western People were falling for!
Guess what happened next?
The Prime Minister and his entire Cabinet committed “suicide” before the week was out.
I wonder who was sent to Suicide them eh?
Just think of the Celtic angle to all of this mayhem.
The then Prime Minister of Japan, SHINZU ABE, was killed whilst speaking at a public event as he refused to vaccinate the Japanese people!
What did he know eh?
If it wasn’t for this brave PM of Japan, Celtic fans might never have heard of KYOGO, HATATE, MAEDA, etc?????
Prime Minister SHINZU ABE RIP won the league and Trebles for Celtic FC and nobody is even aware of that.
HH
oot.
Oh wait…..it’s the same guy…
Auldheid on 24th December 2025 6:41 pm
I either didn’t articulate it properly, or you’ve misunderstood what I was trying to say.
I read FSR extensively when people were saying the huns were close to going bust again (spolier they weren’t). FSR is an issue going forward, no doubt about it. Particularly in light of the failure to qualify for the Champions League. That the board cited it is an excuse for yet another catastrophic transfer window is at best a disingenuous attempt to divert from their failings and at worst, an outright lie. It insults the intelligence of the Celtic support.
If we had £18m to spend AFTER we got put out of the qualifiers, then we sure as hell had £18m to spend BEFORE we played those games. This is what the issue is with that window. It doesn’t matter if we signed Dolberg on August 31st and he turned into the second coming of Henrik Larsson. It’s too late. We’re already out of the Champions League. That has nothing to do with FSR.
Selling Kyogo for £10m on last year’s accounts amidst a season of record revenue and not replacing him before our biggest game in 12 years, has nothing to do with FSR. We were just happy to be there and had no ambition to be the best we could be, demonstrated perfectly by the Kyogo news breaking almost instantly after the final whistle against Young Boys with a game in Birmingham still to play with seeding and coefficient at stake.
Selling Jota for £25m and replacing him with Yang and Palma for a combined £5m has nothing to do with FSR.
Swiss Ramble, as I’m sure you know, analyses accounts from clubs all across Europe, and he was scathing in his assessment of the board’s claims that FSR was in any way responsible for the disastrous window.
We knew FSR was coming, there were ways to mitigate it and ways to manipulate it, and instead we choose to make huge profits(gotta deliver those juicy bonuses) and hoard cash rather than to maximise our advantage and give us the best possible chance at maintaining Champions League revenues in the coming years.
The result is almost certainly no Champions League revenues for the foreseeable future, with a plummeting coefficient ensuring 3 qualifiers if we win the league (is our host still laughing at the coefficient monkeys?). And we know for a fact, because history tells us so, that we will not be ready for those qualifiers if the same suits are in charge.
“The Board recognises the inherent inefficiencies of holding excess cash, and, in conjunction with other cash commitments, the importance of investing in strengthening the team to deliver football success. The Board shares the frustrations of the supporters regarding the less than anticipated activity in the recent transfer window.” Peter Lawwell, 23rd February 2024 (after yet another abysmal transfer window where we signed Kuhn for £3m and Idah on loan with the league very much in jeopardy)
No Peter. I don’t think you did. And the next 22 months proved it.
—–
Bada – I don’t have your patience mate ;-)
Tim – thanks pal
A pair of arrogant pricks who abuse Celtic fans on here everyday whilst claiming they are somehow superior.
🐛🪱
Reggie-T7- it’s become a laughing stock, which is sad, but as you can see from the leader,bought and paid for a long time
Coming very soon- Who would you buy?
Lawwell lackies to the end…unbelievable.
Apologies for my last comment, I know Peter would want me to behave….
wait till you see who the next chairman is.
TURKEYBHOY
Reading back…
Merry Christmas to you and your family. Have a great day tomorrow.
Up the Celts ⬜️🟩⬜️🟩⬜️🟩
Evening all.
Since I have been to Christmas Mass, I would like to wish you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas.
On the strength of that, could I make a request that we all get back to what Paul67 tried to create from the beginning of CQN, a site where people were able to express their opinion without being attacked and/or ridiculed? Debate, certainly. Respect always.
I suppose I write this particularly at the moment because Auldheid, who, imo, has contributed so much to CQN, in particular, and to the good of the support in general for many years, is having to endure more than his fair share of unearned snide remarks.
Again, a happy Christmas to one and all.
SS – Hopefully someone who wants the team to do better in Europe,….which was missing from his Oscar Tribute 😕
Auldheid on 24th December 2025 12:33 pm
……
Before I begin: I AM AN AULDHEID LOYALIST OR FATHFUL THROUGH AND THROUGH-IST. I LOVE YOU MAN.
So, God gave you an immune system but you preferred to listen to plants on the TV as opposed to your ALSO God given conscience?
And somehow this is my fault because my Celtic Parkhead JUNGLE upbringing has taught me that ZERO TV channels can be trusted, and so far, it has stood me in good stead.
You are the one who, when it suits whatever you are pushing, recites prayers to gaslight/guilt/trip/people who are harboring doubts, or simply refuse to be nudged into believing whatever it is that you are trying to push.
Playing by your rules – you know that God is watching you as you type don’t you?
So if your fingers go on fire don’t be pointing at me, or God will be having a word with you.
The NHS Angels are miracle workers as I know only too well, after they rectified their mistakes that nearly killed me in 2014.
Cutting a Mushroom sized lump of Cancer, when I asked what size it was no one knew, but said it must have been rather large given the amount of blood that I lost out of my Bowel and I was retained in Hospital for a few days because of all of the blood that I had lost during the procedure.
BUT.
The NHS did not tell me that they had removed Cancer from me until 6 MONTHS further down the road when they called me out of the blue, and told me that I had to drop everything and go in and see them right away?????
They then told me that they had removed Cancer and the letter with the test results lay on the Consultants desk for 6 months in a Laboratory in Dundee.
The new Consultant was concerned that the Cancer that they removed might have spread to my Liver, Kidneys,Heart, Spleen, lungs, etc, so tests that normally take months to come about were condensed into the next 2 weeks. All clear.
BUT.
Fastforward to 2020 and the NHS had gone Woke and thoroughly disgusting.
The Scottish NHS had doctor struck off during the Pandemic because when he was in Accident & Emergency for treatment, he refused to fill in the new Woke list of questions, specifically the bit were HE had to answer if HE was pregnant????
He refused and walked out and got sacked because if this degenerate madness.
The same NHS Angels were dancing up and down empty Hospitals during the scamdemic lockdowns, KNOWING THAT, patients, WHO BADLY NEEDED TREATMENT, were being denied entry into Hospitals and lying that the Hospitals were overflowing with Covid patients as the Government was and still is carrying out a Depopulation Plan as dictated by Bill Gates, Anthony Fauci, and many other monsters.
Btw, if C19 vaccines are safe and effective, why did Anthony Fauci need a “pardon” from creepy JOE BIDEN, if he was innocent of all of the charges against him?
AF, way back in the day, also was behind the AIDS Plandemic injecting dodgy blood into people, yet walked away from it because ZERO media reported on it, and there was ZERO Internet in those days for Truth Tellers to smoke out these disgusting creeps!
This gallant Paramedic has been trying to warn people about what he has been seeing since the C19 Plandemic started 5 years ago.
https://x.com/harryfisherEMTP/status/2003629062120702062#m
Auldheid I’m sorry to read about you and your Mrs condition and hope all goes well.
You need to realize that |KEVJUNGLE| is NOT your enemy.
I learned as soon as I started kicking a ball about as a 5 year old, that people like me, Tims were treated differently, by other people [pawns like us] who had been brought up to hate us and everything that we stood for.
So that was conditioning, not victimhood, but awareness, to my surroundings.
I remember when, DESMOND WHITE, RIP, was fighting Celtic’s cause vs the Hun Scottish Media during the Rapid Vienna fiasco in 1984 [that year again lol] and he was being pressed by a Female journalist from BBC Scotland, who tried every trick, angle, in the book, and could not get a glove landed on, DW.
So the journalist then tried to smear the reaction of Celtic fans to the fallout of the RV stitch-up, saying to DW: “DON’T YOU THINK THAT CELTIC FANS HAVE BEEN OVERLY PARANOID ABOUT HOW THIS FIASCO IS PLAYING OUT?”
DW, said: “NO I DON’T THINK THAT AT ALL. I WOULD SAY THAT THE 50,000 CELTIC SUPPORTERS WHO WENT DOWN TO OUR GREAT FRIENDS AT MANCHESTER UNITED, WERE RECEIVED AS FRIENDS, AND THEY LEFT AS FRIENDS. TO ACCUSE CELTIC FANS OF, PARANOIA, ABOUT HOW THIS IS PLAYING OUT, IS NOT CORRECT. THE CELTIC FANS ARE NOT PARANOID, THEY ARE ALIVE TO THIS, AND MANY OTHER SITUATIONS.”
The journalists face was like a blue Grinch.
Who replaced DESMOND WHITE? = No one!
AULDHEID I LOVE YOU like an AULDHEID FanBhoy would, no matter what you think about me.
In many decades down the road we will be able to look down and see why we walked in the shoes that we walked in.
Then again, the late POPE FRANCIS RIP, said not long before he died that: “THERE IS NO HEAVEN, OR HELL.”
So who knows where we’ll be?
HH
oot.
A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS to all CELTIC SUPPORTERS.
PS TOM THELEEDS TIM nice to see you posting again.
Reggie on 24th December 2025 4:26 pm
Quality there Reg.
That’s not just knocking down coconuts, that’s a clean sweep that collapsed the whole stall.
I think you may have bankrupted the carnival.
The clowns are crying and their make-up is running.
What a time to be alive.
As an aside to Por Cierto from the previous thread,
In which verse does God bless the vial? I have not read it.
Celtic will do nothing in Europe until we get new fans who’ll actually get rid of the board.
So Santa please replace theses never get fk all done fans and replaced with a new set of fans who’ll get us a new board who’ll be honest and BIG enough to admit that Scottish football is a backwater if the Old Firm are not tearing lumps out of each other. [legally]
Anybody denying this is the problem.
PS, The new board needs to tell the fans that there is an Old Firm because the Desmond and Lawwell board tricked you all into cementing the same club lie for 49 Quid.
HH
oot.
Reggie on 24th December 2025 8:08 pm
Auldheid on 24th December 2025 6:41 pm
Ah gottcha. It was the Board using it as an excuse in the statement of 6th Sept.
I had a good look at that statement after Chairbhoy posted it and it confirmed why I never read it as an excuse.
I will have to go back and the exact words but the it was clear to me the reference was to the future and I had problem reading it way because I knew how FSR works which I have explained here.
Swiss Ramble was asked to explain but he applied the current context only.
As a result Celtic were accused of lying which is why contacted the Huddleboard who were carrying that message which was just wrong if you read what was said.
I can understand that in the rush to hang the Board out to dry this was the meaning put on the FSR statement and an uphill battlefield, some of its own choosing I totally agree, is where Celtic find themselves when social media twists anything related to Celtic to confirm their bias.
The guys writing the statement probably worked on the basis that the support understood FSR as they did but with hindsight they will realise that para would have best removed.
Thanks for bringing that up. I meant to refer to the statement that Chairbhoy posted but got diverted.
As you may have read I posted the kind of questions that could be asked once the gap between what was available to spend and what was spent was established.
” The guys writing the statement probably worked on the basis that the support understood FSR ”
Indeed.
Those uneducated fans again. . . .. . . . causing mischief.
Reggie
Here is the reference to FSR in the Celtic 6 Sept statement.
“Therefore, all investment decisions must be, and are, guided by responsible FORECASTS of FUTURE REVENUES and CASH flow, which by their nature ARE VOLATILE.”
I saw nothing to condemn Celtic for with my understanding of how FSR works.
In the heat generated by the Celtic statement interpretations got burnt.
An accusation was made in DD’s statement about Social Media adding to the problems ‘and this is an example, although Celtic made a mistake on referring to FSR at all.
Vastly improved communications would help but that is a two way street.
CQN I hope you all have a peaceful Christmas and a stress free Saturday
Dawn McCarthy & Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – Christmas Eve Can Kill You
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHriYpNoDbA
Keep the faith, on and off the pitch
HH
Burnley 78
Please ,can you not resist,
You are now embarrassing
Enjoy this special Christmas tlme and relax HH
Maolmuire O Muirgheasa on 24th December 2025 9:34 pm
” The guys writing the statement probably worked on the basis that the support understood FSR ”
Indeed.
Those uneducated fans again. . . .. . . . causing mischief.
===================
The reverse son.
It suggests the guys writing the statement thought the fans were well educated.
Another example from you of how any statement made by or with reference to Celtic is twisted to promote negativity.
That was meant to be condescending btw, which is an accusation made of me when it is never my intent but this time its deliberate.
However I hope that in the spirit of Christmas you will forgive my pettiness.
KevJungle on 24th December 2025 8:49 pm
Auldheid on 24th December 2025 12:33 pm
You put too much sherry in your trifle and I cgaf about what you think of me as its all in your head and I prefer it stays there.
We all have our world views and yours collide with mine.
Which is my way of saying you live on a very different planet but seem happy there.
Parkheadcumsalford on 24th December 2025 8:44 pm
Thank you. We have indeed shared much the same journey and a Happy Christmas to you.
That goes to those that have not but are on their own journey to understanding, (no one gets out alive) including those I’ve been a bit snidey to tonight.
If anyone wants the secret of a happy life and happy blog.
Stop judging others whose views differ from yours.
Its not easy, I forget it myself but by and large it makes for a better appreciation of life with all it throws at us, including 4 games in a row. :)
Noted. Though I must confess, such concerns have never occupied my attention.
Auldheid on 24th December 2025 9:56 pm
KevJungle on 24th December 2025 8:49 pm
Auldheid on 24th December 2025 12:33 pm
You put too much sherry in your trifle and I cgaf about what you think of me as its all in your head and I prefer it stays there.
We all have our world views and yours collide with mine.
Which is my way of saying you live on a very different planet but seem happy there.
……
Kate Shemirani
@KateShemirani
6 to 8 hour wait for an ambulance but they’ve got time to make this ridiculous piece of propaganda brainwashing nonsense when almost half of the NHS didn’t even take the flu shot. Some of you were carrying a few extra pounds there… obesity exponentially increases the risk of every disease… jog on… literally.
https://x.com/KateShemirani/status/2003917096066208087#m
NHS is now wall to wall degeneracy – NO GOD allowed!
HH
oot.
See on Christmas eve as well why do posters line up to slag P67 and his blogs/opinions/thoughts.
He’s obviously a clever dude and believes what he says so whyTF would you want to post on his site?
Its like drinking in a pub every day snd telling sll the other regulars…I hate this place….its sh##e in here.
Mental.
PLs house thing wasn’t football fan related but DID have to do with his job at Celtic.
A secutity ”company” wanted to take over ALL security at CP and PL said no even after threats.
This went on for months and culminated in his family nearly being killed.
The easy choice would’ve been to give the gangsters the contract (probably with some cash envelopes involved) but as always, he done the right thing for Celtic.
PCS @ 8:44pm – with you all the way.
Individuals being labelled “prick”, “wanker”, “gobshite”
Not a good look.
Here’s hoping better is to come … on a number of fronts.
Goodnight CQN.
Tonight is not the time for arguments.
Best wishes to all Celtic Supporters wherever you are in the world.
Boab.
P67,
Thanks for this wonderful site and daily blogs
Merry Christmas to one and all
CQN was by far the best Celtic blog…but it has too many folk just trying their best to upset the blog….at this time…it would be great if we got behind the team…players & management & coaching staff….i fear that they will need our support more than ever…so wishing Celtic and CQN a merry happy Christmas…Hail Hail..
I just noticed it was midnight Scottish time so wishing all my fellow Tims a very merry Christmas.
Enjoy the family and friend times🍀