Our Annual General Meeting, held at Celtic Park this morning, was a more prosaic affair than last year’s. Chief executive, Peter Lawwell, told the meeting last season’s on-field and financial results were “fantastic” in difficult circumstances.
He repeatedly referred to the “balance” required between immediate expenditure policies and judging the long-term requirements of the club, adding that in recent years, “Rangers went bust, Hearts went bust, and Hibs were relegated.”
For the first time the AGM heard from the Celtic FC Foundation chief executive. Tony Hamilton was given a video slot alongside the chairman, chief exec and the manager and he spoke about how the Foundation was interwoven into the fabric of the club, from the top to bottom, and of our history.
The alleviation of poverty is a major target for 2015, building on work the Foundation carried out this year in north and east Glasgow, Inverclyde and North Lanarkshire. Tony added, “If things weren’t tough we wouldn’t need a charity – but they are.
“We’re deadly serious about making a difference.” I’ll try to get the video, it’s worth watching.
Ronny Deila laid out his objectives for this season: qualification for the Champions League, win the treble, develop players and play attacking, attractive, football. Peter Lawwell didn’t want to use the managerial transition over the summer as an excuse for failing to reach the Champions League, but suggested it was grounds for mitigation.
The chairman, chief executive and manager all liberally infused their comments with transformational effect Champions League qualification would have on the club next season.
The Celtic Trust proposed two resolutions, the first of which, concerning club-fan interaction, they agreed to adjourn. In his video message, chairman Ian Bankier informed the meeting that the directors would oppose the Living Wage resolution, but that they had entered into discussions with the staff on the matter, proposing that the starting pay for permanent staff is set at £7.85 per hour, which just happens to be equal to the Living Wage.
In response to this Jeanette Findlay, proposing the resolution on behalf of the Trust, reached the microphone and tore up her prepared speech. She did, however, urge the club to go the final mile and become an accredited Living Wage employer.
Peter Lawwell informed the meeting that he would be meeting John Guidetti’s agent within the next two weeks and that he is waiting to hear back from Kris Commons representatives on his latest offer.
Ronny Deila added that it was important for the club to retain its top players, giving Guidetti and Justin Denayer special mention, but insisted it was wrong to give into demands from any one player three times the going rate for other senior players.
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Deliasmith.
Good post regarding Stoke City.
Enjoy the game v Burnley.HH
Not the point I’m making mate, it’s how the LW situation is being used by board and PL haters, to fight for the living wage is a good thing don’t be silly, but using to grab the moral high ground is a no no.
Burghbhoy:
Should you not be asking what have we spent the Hooper, Lesley and Wanyama and also the CL league money on?
mon the Friday !
eradicate poverty, good luck that one, it’s a necessity for capitalism, sorry, it’s Friday, me knackered, thanks to all who went to the agm and have been contributing to the celtic movement rather than spouting off on a website (me).
btw
a man goes into the doctor’s and says
‘Doctor, I’ve got a strawberry stuck up my bum !’
doctor says
‘Don’t worry, I’ve got a cream for that’
bontybhoy
Evening again Roger, thanks for the reply.
I debate with people regularly on here, I’m not sure there’s any need for you to be quite so aggressive.
the_huddle
True but its all relative. Some would say, for example, that no footballer is worth over 1k a week for kicking a ball around. We are a bigger club than those mentioned so are always going to have a higher wage bill, inclusive of players who don’t make the grade.
I was talking more about us selling our game a bit better. How many times do you see a live TV game where there is a decent crowd but all tucked away at the back of the stand, say at Rugby Park, out of sight of TV cameras. Things like that.
We know there is a lot to be worked on in Scottish football but I think we are in a far better position than we were 2 years ago and this should be highlighted a bit more.
Also, all the talk of an uncompetitive league and yet looking at other leagues around Europe right now the pre season favourites have been top and clear of the rest for some time now.
HH
deliasmith@15.59
Sorry but the clarets will do your boys tomorrow. I enjoyed the Neil Baldwin drama/doc that was on a few weeks ago.
Radio comms state that Brittania atmosphere is one of the best in the division.
Anyone else having problems with yahoo mail today?
Thanks in advance……
Kitalba
I just used this seasons money in/out as an example of the ludicrousness of PL statement .
Of course you are also correct regards the others
Why should Celtic post their statement on Phil Mac’s blog, it is their statement, they have an official site, why is it not on there?
HT can you give me a call?
Kitalba
Can’t find your no on my phone. Send me it hamiltontim@hotmail.co.uk
Bontybhoy
Sound post @ 17, 08
If I may post
I am a supporter of the living wage and also back the board.i tend to see the living wage as ourselves going back and reclaiming a little of our tradition, in that our team, the whole team is only as good as our weakest link.
I am on Celtics side.thats it.its not a left or right issue, a socialist or a tory policy it is for the betterment of our club.and I feel that is right in the long term.
I do hope analysis and a staged implementation over the next 1, 3 or 5 years.Personally I would put down a 10 year plan to roll out a plan for those who deal with our club as contractors.i know its a noble vision, as you say.but am just throwin it out there
To me Celtic should lead, always at the front foot, in whatever strand business our club concerns itself with,I was reared in the 9 in a row.no one else compared(nowt does still lol
I realise we are sailing choppy waters due to the self harming tendencies of rangers international and the sea..Peter lawell steers our ship ably, but like all things Celtic I ask how can we ger betfer.thats all
Hope your well mhate
HH
traditionalist88
True but its all relative. Some would say, for example, that no footballer is worth over 1k a week for kicking a ball around. We are a bigger club than those mentioned so are always going to have a higher wage bill, inclusive of players who don’t make the grade.
I was talking more about us selling our game a bit better. How many times do you see a live TV game where there is a decent crowd but all tucked away at the back of the stand, say at Rugby Park, out of sight of TV cameras. Things like that.
We know there is a lot to be worked on in Scottish football but I think we are in a far better position than we were 2 years ago and this should be highlighted a bit more.
Also, all the talk of an uncompetitive league and yet looking at other leagues around Europe right now the pre season favourites have been top and clear of the rest for some time now.
——————-
I don’t think we even have a sponsor for our league and cups (might be wrong), obvious that our game isn’t attractive to others.
Clubs are being run better, but that is down to the fact they have no money. It’s the smart thing to do, no money don’t spend it. Something only learnt recently.
And yes we can spend more on money but that just means we give players more money, that don’t earn it.
Burghbhoy,
We are now a selling team, just like the vast majority of teams.
Look at Southampton they sold big time and bought wisely. But they are successful because of their outstanding training academy. Their academy and also Brentford’s are what youth is all about.
That is what we should aspire to IMO.
You mention Scepovic. I would rather we kept Tony Watt. If his attitude was wrong we should have corrected it.
HH to you.
And the sfa grrr
An Tearmann
Bontybhoy
Sound post @ 17, 08
If I may post
I am a supporter of the living wage and also back the board.i tend to see the living wage as ourselves going back and reclaiming a little of our tradition, in that our team, the whole team is only as good as our weakest link.
I am on Celtics side.thats it.its not a left or right issue, a socialist or a tory policy it is for the betterment of our club.and I feel that is right in the long term.
I do hope analysis and a staged implementation over the next 1, 3 or 5 years.Personally I would put down a 10 year plan to roll out a plan for those who deal with our club as contractors.i know its a noble vision, as you say.but am just throwin it out there
To me Celtic should lead, always at the front foot, in whatever strand business our club concerns itself with,I was reared in the 9 in a row.no one else compared(nowt does still lol
I realise we are sailing choppy waters due to the self harming tendencies of rangers international and the sea..Peter lawell steers our ship ably, but like all things Celtic I ask how can we ger betfer.thats all
Hope your well mhate
HH
—————
The Scottish Government aren’t technically a LW employer currently as they can’t guarantee that their contractors (i.e Sodexo, Mitie etc) are paying their staff the LW.
That will soon change and Sturgeon will announce it, but not until they are certain.
Hearts went into administration
Dundee untied recently received money from wealthy fan. Same as Aberdeen.
Kilmarnock are millions in debt
Hardly examples of running clubs properly.
Old bhoy from my bus was at AGM today said RD got a very warm reception.
Just a quick note to let anyone who hasn’t read back to this morning know that we have successfully reached our target to fund our full page advertisement in Sunday Herald in January.
The surplus will now go to the Malawi schools project.
Thanks to all who have supported this. Off to Greenock now…
wc
Take care in Greenock:o)
Which incidentally is Green and White.
Greenpinta.
‘re Tony Watt.
I have met Tony on several occasions and my son played with him at Airdrie.
Tony never thought he was doing anything wrong, it’s very difficult to try and get someone to change their attitude when they think they are in the right.
Tonys a smashing player with more pace than most people on here probably realise but as for in training !!!!! Maybe he will write a book about it one day.
Jimmynotpaul
Thank you, point taken.
Maybe education is the key, and RD could have been that teacher.
HH.
Enjoy greenock bhoys..
mcgarvie and mcglone in club tonight, larkhall csc,….
Burghbhoy, I think what Peter L means is we spend what we bring in in terms of all the income. All of the income excluding players is not enough to manage the club so we apparently need to sell players.
That’s what he think. Your basing your assertion on his economical use of we spend what we get.
My take isn’t even that we spend what we get as in each of the last two years we have paid contingent liabilities (whatever they were) and had a cash surplus of less than 5 million at the bank.
We are apparently keeping this cash for a rainy day which Peter tells us will arrive any day soon,
No one has been able to say what these contingent liabilities were and no one knows what the cash I’d being kept aside for. What is more, most of the money we have spent on transfer fees in each of the last 2 sumeners has been wasted. The associated players do not hold down first team places and we are left with existing faces and short term loans filling the first team.
The scouting is THE major failing at the club along side the lack of fore sight on tv income,ticket pricing, fan treatment, Rangers perception and lack of planning for this seasons change of management.
“It was great to see Celtic Park full for the Scotland game”
woman in work that doesn’t watch football
I often read on here that everyone is entitled to their opinions. Well that`s good to know because I am of the opinion that not everyone is so entitled. Nevertheless, opinions are, in the main,reasonably healthy in terms of Blog debating. less healthy is the aggressive nature adopted by some when giving opinions about matters when not in full possession of the facts. I am of the opinion that The Board do a very good job of running Celtic. I base that on the sound financial base of the Club considering where we play our football. Some things they do, do seem wrong but there must be a reason for the choice(s) they have made in those cases. Not knowing enough, were I to voice my unsubstantiated opinion on those matters, I would pose it ( my opinion) in the form of a question. It is wrong to be belligerent when not in possession of the facts. In my opinion, of course.
JJ
Celtic is the best run club in Scotland. Debate over
Greenpinta.
That’s a valid point.
Tony was still playing boys club at 15. He went from that to Airdrie U/17s, virtually every other boy had been playing pro youth for years.
I think when he then quickly went to Celtic, the professional side was difficult for him, I know he thought Lenny picked on him, maybe carrot would have been better than stick, I do have to say, and I don’t think I’m giving anything away, that Tony was his worse enemy at times. I have to say when he came on at Fir park as a sub and scored almost immediately, I was delighted. It really was Roy of the rovers stuff, he had travelled so far in such a short period of time and maybe later that became the issue.
I’ve just scanned back so I’m not up to speed on the agm.
All I would ask is…tomorro when you get served a portions of chips or piza by a youngster ….ask in a quiet voice what they get paid an hour.
I reckon some will get a surprise.
Most I see serving look about sixteen/ seventeen with an older one bossing the youngsters about.
£500,000 pah.
jimmynotpaul
i think players like Tony can prosper because they aren’t manufactured as such due to not being part of pro youth set up etc. A TB like figure could maybe had an influence on the way word nature Tony has..
Since 2001 what has the board ensured the manager has?
Acgr,
Text ye bud, no reply, so if yer having a wee lurk on the way to Greenock.
If you get locked out of your hotel again or even papt oot, yer always welcome back here,
The kids ask me how that mad guy wae truck is doing quite often :))
B.T.
I agree, in all my years watching pro youth, it appeared that boys had to fit the system rather than the other way about. Tony would have missed that. Your point about T.B is excellent, I think he’s exactly would Tony could have done with. The second I read your post it resonated with me. Also can I say David Bingham was great at Gretna pro youth, he really allowed the boys to express themselves and indeed was extremely skilful himself.
Peter Lawwell saying on tv that Celtic would never support manipulation of the leagues to assist thems …so well done Celtic…
.
In today’s CQN AGM missive from Paul67 we are reminded how many depend on the charity and humanity of Celtic supporters. In the same breath, we are reminded that the board,however, are immune from such charitable thoughts (especially from the 55% of Celtic supporters who are wankers).
Celtic PLC have a business to run, exec pockets to line and masses to fool.
They may pay a LW to some of their employees but they will not become a LW employer.
I mean what if the LW increases?
Celtic PLC have a business to run, exec pockets to line and masses to fool.
Also some bumph about res12 -2013. Any progress along those lines will interfere with the Old Firm bigot pound on the horizon.
Celtic PLC have a business to run, exec pockets to line and masses to fool.
Nae change there then.
Social values?
My arse in parsley.
“Ally has not built his own side”
BFSDJ
A wee reminder for anyone arriving early tomorrow that St Michael’s church is having a mass for deceased players and fans at 12.30..
bournesouprecipe
Whit’s he been daeing then the last five years..FFS BFSDJ you think he’s only there for the pies?
Bsr,
He’s certainly been working hard on building his back side anyway :)