As we’re close to the Bah Humbug season, you and I are allowed to be glad to see the back of those ‘Yes sir, I can boogie’ types and the return of proper football. You know, the type that sustains the game week-in, week-out, and defines communities across the world. Celtic are back in action tomorrow and not a day too early, while the AGM is currently underway, and the general media are beginning to realise they jumped the managerial-appointment gun!
The infectious enthusiasm Kieran Tierney, Anthony Ralston, Liam Scales and others will bring to the squad will hopefully go some way to compensate for the empty feeling around Lennoxtown over the past two weeks. 12 players were absent on international duty, while the manager and others were given mini-breaks.
By contrast, St Mirren only had one player away with his country, the rest of their squad have spent two weeks preparing to face Celtic tomorrow night. After a bright start to the campaign, when they came close to taking a point at Celtic Park, they have slipped to 9th in the table and have taken only one point from 15 available since September.
That point, as you will recall, came against league leaders Hearts. St Mirren played on the counter, as they did earlier in the season against Celtic and managed to deny Hearts a win for the second time this season. Hearts have only failed to win three times in total, so we can assume there is method to what St Mirren did.
The gameplan against Celtic and Hearts was also evident at home to Newco, where Saints took a point. Whatever ails St Mirren this season, it is not how they deploy against the top sides. This one is not the superficially easy game it might look on first pass.
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Made it!
Friday.
Glad to see AGM went well. Fodder for the rags and nae mention of hot water!
Chairman Peter Lawwell adjourned Celtic’s annual general meeting inside five minutes following chants of “sack the board” by some shareholders.
Directors were met with boos while dozens of enlarged red cards were held up as they entered the Kerrydale Suite at Celtic Park.
Cries of “out, out, out” followed before there were cheers for interim manager Martin O’Neill when he was introduced by Lawwell.
As a season review video began to play on big screens, Celtic Trust vice-chair Jeanette Findlay approached the top table to ask that the meeting move immediately to questions.
Amid more shouts and chants of “sack the board”, Lawwell said: “This disruptive behaviour is not on. It’s got to stop. We have to have respect for everyone else in the room.”
Amid shouts of “you respect us”, Lawwell called a 30-minute adjournment before the meeting resumed shortly after 11:00 GMT.
The board has been subjected to significant criticism from supporters’ groups over the club’s summer transfer business and failure to qualify for the Champions League league phase.
Principal shareholder Dermot Desmond was not present at the meeting, which was watched by other fans via video link from another function suite.
Pathetic editorial. This blog is so disengaged from the realities of this club it’s like a parallel universe.
The scenes as the AGM was declared closed:
https://x.com/Mark_M27/status/1991834182407094719?t=8cXtV2kWa-wXdas7c_lB9g&s=19
Always the plan to get shouted down and finishedASAP,a total sham,…..forensic coverage in the article…….laughable
A friend just sent me videos from the AGM
Way to go.
You gave the board an out, provided them with an opportunity, and you are now angry that they took it?
🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
A real shame for those who put hard work into getting resolutions 16 and 17 on the table.
Sabotaged by their own side … an element of whom only want to turn up to boo, hiss, and shout sack the board.
Objectives not given a chance to be achieved as a result.
You want change at board level?
Structure, Culture, Strategy, Composition?
Polite suggestion.
Take the rebels without a completion date out of the equation and put the brains trust …
… who absolutely are there in the collective already
… in charge.
HH
What a shower!
Well the next article should be interesting, to say the least.
Just noticed that Desmond’s boy was reading out a statement from his father. I would suggest they take the keyboard away from him, his statements are outrageous!
Ross Desmond called us ‘bullies’,talk about pots and kettles….and ‘ anti establishment ‘ the there is the absolute contempt and arrogance…….if there wasn’t a waiting list……?
LoL – how predictable.
The Bada Bing …
” … if there wasn’t a waiting list …” ?
Genuine ask – what do you mean by this?
So what happens next? By law do they have to go through all the resolutions? Can they do it behind closed doors or must it be open to shareholders?
https://x.com/glasgowdave571/status/1991834107718836372?s=46
Lawwell was reading from a script when he closed the meeting, this was the plan from the start
Back to Basics – Glass Half Full on 21st November 2025 12:04 pm
———-
Getting the AGM stopped would’ve been the plan.
It’s all a bit of a performance.
Paul 67 totally ignoring the AGM today and the genuine and heartfelt concerns of the way Celtic is now operating, I remember when this blog could publish an annual at Christmas with comments from various posters, I remember when it held a dinner at Celtic Park , with the intention to raise money to build a Kitchen to feed schoolchildren in Malawi, on the night it raised enough to build 3 kitchens, what a sad decline in direction this blog has taken, why only he will know the rest of us will make our own minds up.
I would have thought an article today about our arrogant board would be better. Ah well.
I have just left the agm and the atmosphere was extraordinary.
What did the board expect today?
This is not going to go away. Easily half the attendees were furious and do not believe that the club is run well enough.
Our board don’t see it.
Therefore the club will continue to lose millions in income whilst trying to attract a new manager.
We will continue to find agents aren’t interested in talking to such a bunch of arrogant jokers.
Paul – your article could be taken straight of a matchday programme. Totally off point.
So now we know. The ‘Celtic family’ is a myth.
The reality is a corporate fiefdom. Lawwell cutting the meeting short to avoid a vote isn’t strong leadership; it’s the panic of a man who knows his position can’t withstand scrutiny.
The rats have indeed been smoked out.
Celtic AGM abandoned amid fan protest chaos as stinging Dermot Desmond statement sparks shutdown
There was no votes on resolutions or a Q&A with shareholders with the annual event coming to an abrupt end
The Celtic AGM was called off as the board faced a series of protest from shareholders.
The Parkhead decision-makers took to the top table, comprised of chief executive Michael Nicholson, chief financial officer and chairman Peter Lawwell – but without largest single shareholder Dermot Desmond as usual – who was represented by his son Ross in in the Kerrydale Suite for the annual event.
Red card were held up as boos rang out as the board arrived to field questions – with chiefs attempting to play a video montage segment of the AGM.
That saw Lawwell cal a 30-minute adjournment and the top table walked away amid demands from the shareholders to move up the Q&A second of the annual event.
They would return and restart the video and chairman insisted that he would bring the meeting to a close if there was further unrest.
Members of the crowd would walkout as clips from Nicholson, Lawwell and McKay with the Celtic Trust taking to social media to declare that irked punters did not want to watch the montage.
Around 100 punters would walk out and return to hear Ross Demond’s address on behalf of his father.
He would read a statement that took aim at “negativity and misinformation” surrounding the club.
That was met with laughter, before Lawwell demanded those in attendance “show a little respect” in response.
Desmond went on: “There is no doubt we make mistakes and try to learn from them, we will not be bullied by aggressive factions.”
Desmond also claimed the protesters were “people whose only vocation in life is being anti-establishment.”
Red cards would continue to be shown in protest during the speech – and Lawwell would draw a line under proceedings without votes on any resolutions or a Q&A session.
Lawwell said: “I am going to have you apologise to those supporters who have the best interests of the club at heart but I am going to have to draw the meeting to a close.”
As the board left the top table they were met by chants of ‘Sack the Board’.
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What Junior DD said in full:
“Our model is far from perfect but for the most part it has served this club well over the past 20 years. So we will not be bullied by aggressive or rational factions.
“We will not be railroaded by those whose only vocation in life is to be anti-establishment and by those who try to degrade the club.
“Our focus is on all matters, improving this club step by step, systematically, without ever risking a future. Improving recruitment, investing in data analytics, upgrading facilities, enhancing the stadium and trying to make Celtic stronger in every way.
“Criticism and advice are welcome and are the right of every supporter but some of what we have seen recently is not constructive, it is destructive and cynical. All it does is strengthen our resolve to protect the integrity and stability of Celtic Football Club.
“Our board led by Peter and our executive led by Michael are dedicated Celtic people.
“The attempts to dehumanise and vilify them are shameful. These are people with families, they love the club every bit as much as anyone here and when we are not performing they suffer just as much as anyone.
“They work tirelessly, often under intense pressure. They do an outstanding job at this club and we are very lucky to have them.”
Demond defended his dad and the under fire board. He said: “Let me start by dispensing with the absurd caricature some people spread about my father and state some of his Celtic credentials. He’s a passionate and lifelong Celtic supporter.
“He first put money into Celtic more than 30 years ago when Fergus McCann asked him for help. He became the principal shareholder when Fergus sold out and took on the responsibility that came with that. He wants the club to be healthy, successful and still thriving decades and even centuries from now.
“The board shares those desires and that’s why the board respects financial reality. We act prudently, not recklessly. Those who accuse the club of hoarding cash or being in it for the money display a deep misunderstanding of financial responsibility.
“The board is a duty of care to the shareholders, to the supporters and to the future of this club. We don’t declare dividends to distribute surplus cash to ordinary shareholders as many other businesses do. Cash is retained and used to sustain and develop our club.
“As Chris (McKay) explained in the video, Celtic must maintain strong reserves and contingencies to protect against unforeseen circumstances. That financial strength is what gives us independence, stability and the ability to make our own decisions and not to be beholden to anyone else.
“Those who talk about the club not having kicked on in Europe since 2003 ignore the enormous change in the management landscape of football in that period.
“It has created a gap which keeps growing. It has created a gap which keeps growing and challenges any club to make us more European league. Most supporters understand that.
“Of course clubs can still punch above their financial weight and we should aspire to that. But if you swing and miss, you risk the very stability of the club and that would be profoundly irresponsible.
“The financial independence of this club was jeopardised in the mid-1990s and we must never allow ourselves to fall into that position again. We constantly strive to improve, to become more competitive, to go deeper into Europe and there is no doubt we get things wrong when we make mistakes.
“Of course we are not blind to our shortcomings. We can communicate better, we can recruit better, we can compete better but we will do it responsibly, sustainably and always in the best interest of Celtic.
“Celtic was founded as a club open to all and we have a tradition of having the greatest fans in the world. We must now protect that reputation that was created over generations.”
Desmond highlighted the current dispute with Green Bridge with the ultras facing a ban after a recent flashpoint. He said: “The behaviour of certain sections increasingly brings the club and its fanbase into disrepute.
“The incident a few weeks ago at Falkirk match was symptomatic of wider behaviour that has not been acceptable.
“These people are bullies and they try to hijack the behaviour of Celtic supporters. We cannot allow them to define who we are. I’m well aware of the target I put on my back when I said this.”
Lawwell was forced to step in at tht stage with several shareholders reacting with fury.
If the general media are beginning to realise they jumped the managerial-appointment gun then more fool them. I was certainly not holding out for a top manager and I’m not shifting from that position. Maloney currently sits around 16/1 with the turf accountants. Sounds a good value bet.
I suspect any thoughts of rejigging the Board and our strategy and structure just hit the buffers this morning.
Some folk are just dumb and can’t see the bigger picture, the whole point was to get the Board to speak and explain their position , if they played silly buggers and strung things out then that is also a clear message ; seems as though some of the rank and file can’t behave in a meeting meeting , giving the suits the perfect excuse to cut things short.
God knows where this leaves us.
Who would rock up to manage Celtic at the moment given this level of unrest. A very brave man.
HH
I wasn’t at the meeting today – so my comments are only my opinion
To those that “caused” the meeting to be adjourned you have wasted the opportunity to at least ask the questions that were to be asked
I do not know if the Board had a plan to close the meeting at the first sound of disruption
But the end result – they are off the hook
No questions asked no reply necessary
67ECW
Seems to me the board would have been quite delighted not to get to the last couple of items .
As for today’s article , I hope those flames don’t scorch your fiddle , Paul .
https://x.com/JPONeill1888/status/1991836609873133910?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1991836609873133910%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=
DeniaBhoy on 21st November 2025 12:04 pm
Thanks for posting that .Just spotted my nephew BRENDAN turning to talk to guy behind him.
Shameless repost from end of last article comments….
Said at the start that the targets of the Celtic Collective were all wrong. Rather than focus on MN, CMcK etc, the only focus should have been Desmond. If you get rid of him, the rest fall like a pack of cards. They are only there as they do his bidding and divert attention from him.
I was at the AGM today in the overflow in the Number 7. There was limited disruption in No 7 but none that would have caused adjourning. Most of the people wanted to go ahead particularly the questions. This is the one time of year when you can count on answers.
AGM is the main vehicle at a PLC where the board can be held to account. This is an own goal by Celtic and an avoidance of questions by the Board. We are stuck with a CEO who doesn’t communicate and this is the platform where as shareholders we can demand answers. We cant rely on the lying press. I want answers.
Are we prepared for Saturday ? who are we talking to as Manager?
Fucking Shambles
DeniaBhoy on 21st November 2025 12:04 pm
Sorry it was PAUL ,BRE is in OZ. I will get dogs abuse.
By Celtic Football Club
Share
21 Nov 2025, 12:23 pm
Regrettably, due to the continuing disruptive conduct of a small number of individuals preventing the orderly management of today’s AGM, we were required to conclude the meeting earlier than we had planned.
Such conduct is completely unacceptable and hugely disappointing, and while today’s events are completely outwith our control, clearly we regret the impact on our shareholders who were deprived of the opportunity to take part in an orderly and constructive meeting.
Chairman Peter Lawwell called a poll on the resolutions at the end of the meeting, the results of which will be made available once counted and verified by our registrar, Computershare.
Should any shareholders wish to raise a question, they can do so by contacting our investor relations department and we will endeavour to respond to any queries.
Favourite Uncle 😂
https://twitter.com/i/status/1991844108445622680
“A small number of individuals . . ”
Dearie me, maybe the sunbed king had been blinded by the UV lights.
Feel sorry for MoN, stuck in the middle of the bun fight.
Anyone thinking the Board would have considered the resolutions put forward,have clearly been living in a cave .What’s it going to take for some to see,they think of you as shit on there shoe.
As for that spoilt brat to make that insulting speech he made,well,that tells you all.A cosseted clown.
The best outcome was achieved.Massive publicity,and you know what they say about that,and fires stoked even higher.Should be good at Saints game tomorrow night.Much more of the same.
I bet a few on here dropped their knitting,spluttered into their Camomile tea,at the damned impertinence.
As for Paul ,pitiful.
@BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL
What were resolutions 16 & 17?
oh well just returned home after AGM , had to queue up to get in (a first) and was put into No.7 suite do numbers in the main hall , think there where a lot of first timers in the hall with an agenda that backfired.
the meeting was abandoned not closed as far as I could hear via the chair during DD,s statement , a utter shambles .
Wow
And we laugh at the Govan lot.
Astonishing but hey the Celtic blogger scum will cream off their 50pence of shit.
due to