As we digested the team news on our way to Celtic Park for the Premiership clash with Hearts on 7 December we all struggled to guess how Celtic would line up. Wilfried Nancy had a ‘get to know you day’ and one training session before throwing a completely new formation on the players.
This was an unnecessary and arrogant gamble. In the weeks since, the same aloofness led to the squandering of momentum in the title race and the loss of the League Cup Final. By his fourth consecutive defeat (at Dundee United), it was clear the course we were on was not about to quickly resolve and would ultimately lead to the loss of the league.
Respite came against 10-man Aberdeen and in uncomfortable fashion at Livingston, but Celtic were bossed by Motherwell, then by a Newco side who have never won so easily against Celtic. Results were not just bad, they were historically so, and notwithstanding the mess left behind after Brendan Rodgers, six defeats in eight games was down to Wilfried Nancy’s inept tactical decisions. He admitted players did not have time to learn and that the squad was not a fit for his requirements, but he persisted in some naive hope that things would magically improve.
His substitutions and tactical changes never once benefited Celtic, in stark contrast to those made by opponents during his short reign. My worry when he remained in position yesterday morning, was that we would beat Dundee United on Saturday and delay the necessary change until it was too late.
Paul Tisdale put Nancy’s name on the table but was not responsible for the appointment. By the board’s own words and deeds, they have made two successive bad managerial and one bad chief exec appointments since 2021. After so many decades of managerial excellence, that is a significant slip in standards. To quote Marvin Gaye, What’s going on?
We should all be grateful to Martin O’Neill for answering the call one more time. He will be 74-years-old in seven weeks and he is clever enough to know what a challenging environment he steps into. Far more so than the one he left last month. Success, even against Dundee United, is not guaranteed.
Transfers are hard enough in January but they need to happen as though we had a permanent manager in place. It will be difficult, try selling ‘The manager wants you but he’s leaving in May’. This is not in a good starting position.
We are now in an 18 game season with momentum against us. Hearts, Newco and Celtic all know they can take this title; the eventual winner will be required to put in an enormous effort. And you just know, the last game of the season is bound to be at Fir Park. On the positive side, if we overcome the travails of this season and win the title, they can pave over Ibrox. If anyone else cannot win the title this season, we all know they never will.
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The Battered Bunnet @ 7:54 pm,
This was in the official statement Celtic issued on Brendan Rodgers departure.
“By Celtic Football Club
Share
27 Oct 2025, 9:44 pm
Celtic Football Club can confirm that football manager Brendan Rodgers has today tendered his resignation. It has been accepted by the Club and Brendan will leave his role with immediate effect.
The Club appreciates Brendan’s contribution to Celtic during his two very successful periods at the Club.
Brendan leaves Celtic with our thanks for the role he has played during a period of continued success for the Club and we wish him further success in the future.”
Brendan Rodgers tendered his resignation – which means he certainly did not summarily resign.
Tendering your resignation is contrary to summarily resigning.
Hail Hail
Prestonpans bhoys @ 8:35 pm,
Yes I think the piece that The Exiled Tim was refering too, was published before the paperwork was done on Peter Lawwell’s resignation from Celtic Football & Athletic Coy.
Obviously delayed due to the holidays as it was issued on 31st Dec.
Peter Lawwell has gone – a new era under Martin O’Neill begins.
Hopefully with some decent recruitment.
Hail Hail
https://x.com/slimshady1961/status/2008644628220965021?s=48&t=VGQ-dz7XnGoK0iCf5HYDYA
VG
Chairbhoy on 6th January 2026 10:13 pm
Was it TET, when I posted it I thought…was this on here or SC 🙃
The return of weeron @ 7:44 pm,
Brilliant, sounds like you are enjoying your trip…
Have A Great New Year…
Hail Hail
Prestonpans bhoys @ 10:18 pm,
Yes it was all a bit confusing and discussed on SC as well.
TET certainly posted it here…
THE EXILED TIM on 5th January 2026 6:11 pm
https://celtsarehere.com/celtic-fc-peter-lawwell-new-role/
You will see it’s now been updated with the TM01 (Termination of Director Apointment) for the Celtic Football & Athletic Coy.
Hail Hail
Juts when the CEO thought it was okay to come out from behined the sofa…2-0 to the Huns…
Bog standard huns 2…..
Seriously sub- standard sheep 0
https://x.com/i/status/2008644357247906006
in maybe out.
so
Peter Lawwell resigned from both boards
but celtic bloggers went all daft about him still being involved somehow with celtic to continue influence at the ECA and UEFA.
get ready for this prediction.
ECA and UEFA or indeed another big European club will appoint him in some chair or ned or consultant capacity
Spikeys
Nae need ever for an apology my friend,I could be wrong and will get back to ye,the class comment is odd as am in same area,and they’re from good people:-)
HH
Saint Stivs @ 11:07 pm,
The ECA is now – The European Football Clubs (EFC)
This is their statement on Peter Lawwell’s summarily resignation.
“EFC congratulates Peter Lawwell for his remarkable achievements over many years at Celtic FC and thanks him for his long-held commitment to European club football as EFC Vice-Chair, EFC Executive Committee Member and Board Member since 2014.
Peter leads EFC’s Finance Working Group and has previously served on UEFA’s Club Competitions Committee. He also sits on the Board of Administration of UC3, the EFC-UEFA joint venture which manages the commercialisation of the UEFA club competitions, and has played a key leadership role at European level in ensuring all European clubs and their interests are at the heart of the game.
EFC will now be working with Peter to organise a smooth transition of his EFC roles and responsibilities. We will continue to represent and support Celtic FC, along with our 800+ other EFC members, to ensure clubs and their interests are central to the ongoing development of European and global club football.
We wish Peter and his family all the very best for what comes next.:
https://www.efcfootball.com/en/news/efc-thanks-vice-chair-peter-lawwell
Hail Hail
Celtic Collective
On the 9th of September, following a calamitous summer transfer window and a
fifth Champions League qualification defeat in a row, 420 Celtic supporter
organisations, buses, supporters’ clubs, and fan media outlets signed a joint open
letter addressed to the Celtic Board. The letter outlined three key areas of
concern based around seven questions. This letter represented the views of tens
of thousands of Celtic supporters who wanted greater clarity around the club’s
footballing strategy and modernisation plans, meaningful accountability for
repeated failures, and a significant improvement in how the club engages with
and treats its supporters.
Following the formation of the Celtic Fans Collective and the commencement of
a series of protest actions highlighting the Celtic Board’s failure to respond to
these concerns, a meeting was arranged between representatives of the Celtic
support and the Executive members of the Celtic Board. This meeting yielded no
progress in addressing the legitimate concerns of the fanbase.
In the months that have followed, things have gone from bad to worse on the
park. Celtic dispensed with the services of Brendan Rodgers and his coaching
team, signing off with a devastating personal attack on Rodgers from the largest
minority shareholder. The interim appointment of Martin O’Neill temporarily
steadied matters, with on-field results improving. However, an already difficult
season with an underprepared squad was made significantly worse by the
inexplicable decision to recruit an inexperienced and ill-equipped manager in
Wilfried Nancy to the managerial role, at a point where O’Neill had stabilised the
team and reached a Cup Final. This decision resulted in Celtic losing 4 league
matches at a crucial point of the title race, the League Cup Final, and will cost the
club millions of pounds in lost revenue and compensation. We now find ourselves
where we were 5 weeks ago, with Martin O’Neill and staff back, but significantly
damaged in results, player confidence and reputational terms.
When the PLC Board had the opportunity to take responsibility for some of its
failings, most notably during the meeting with fans in October and at the cynically
aborted AGM, they chose to double down, insisting that they had delivered
success, shrugging off the compelling body of evidence that suggested
otherwise. When Brendan Rodgers left his position, Dermot Desmond was
allowed to use club channels to attack him and lay all blame at his door for the
season to that point. When Wilfried Nancy was removed following a historically
disastrous tenure, there was not a single word of contrition to be found within
club communications.
Since the joint letter and the founding of the Celtic Fans Collective, the Board
has repeatedly taken aim at supporters through a series of punitive decisions.
The Green Brigade have been banned since early November, collectively
penalising supporters who contribute greatly to the matchday atmosphere and
experience, without a full investigation or willingness to engage with the group.
Fan media access has been revoked, preventing podcasts from attending club
press conferences, including for the women’s team. Moreover, the club has
published statements chastising supporters, facilitated a disgraceful attack on
fans by the son of the largest minority shareholder at the AGM, and released
videos making baseless accusations against its own fanbase.
Where we do agree with a Board member is in interim Chair Brian Wilson’s call
for unity on Monday evening. This has been sorely lacking all season and Celtic
can only reach its true potential when there is unity across the club: Board,
Manager, players and, crucially, the Celtic support. This is something that all fans
want to help push the team in the race for the league title. However, unity can
only come through a process of mediation, contrition and reconciliation.
We are calling on Brian Wilson and representatives of Celtic Football Club to
meet with the Celtic Fans Collective in the spirit of reconciliation and a genuine
desire to achieve unity, on the same themes presented in the initial open letter:
1. Celtic Football Club’s footballing strategy must be modernised and
communicated with clarity and regularity to its supporters. Additionally,
professional recruitment processes need to be deployed with a commitment to
making merit-based appointments to key strategic roles. No longer can jobs be
filled through the patronage of personal relationships or family ties.
2. There must be a commitment to accountability and transparency. We believe
the Club requires a genuine reset in executive leadership, and that Executive
Directors Michael Nicholson and Chris McKay should step aside to enable that
reset, given their stated responsibility for the appointments of Paul Tisdale and
Wilfried Nancy, and for the growing fan disconnect under their leadership. Unity
cannot simply be requested but rather must be rebuilt through credible actions
that demonstrate the Club learns from mistakes and changes course when
required.
3. The club should reinstate the Green Brigade, revoke the fan media ban and
engage proactively with supporter organisations and independent supporters to
rebuild trust, with the medium-term aim of instituting a democratically elected
Fan Advisory Board, and developing improved communications and an enhanced
matchday experience for the Celtic support.
We are keen to get behind the manager and players given the importance of the
months to come. However, it is worth noting that 142 active supporter buses
contacted us over the weekend urging the Steering Group to call for a boycott of
an upcoming home match. Fan anger has reached a breaking point and the
underlying causes of this must be addressed.
We wish to move towards a period of reconciliation and systemic change, and we
call on Brian Wilson to demonstrate that he is serious about building the fan unity
he claims to seek
THE EXILED TIM
Just been reading back while watching the cricket.
Where are you getting this bollocks about Peter Lawwell still being at Celtic?
You’re obviously one of the obsessed who hate the thought of him not being there to blame for every board indiscretion. I know he’s been living rent free in your head for many years, but really, you need to let it go.
“PATHETIC Coaching” Michael Stewart Tom English & Pat Bonner SLAUGHTER Wilfried Nancy & Celtic Board
https://youtu.be/sqX0QsrsIKk?si=OPH7zAXieu1wfx1c
No complaints on the substance being debated here
We have serious professionals back in charge at Lennonxtown
Tom English on layers of an Onion being peeled is searing analysis
last of the summer wine CQN division still defending PL
Yvonne Ridley 4 Glasgow
@yvonneridley
“This is fiction but how many of us believe it could be fact? Scotland needs independence but various US Presidents have been opposed to our ambitions for self determination. Here’s why – replace Creegan with Faslane and suddenly the penny drops.”
https://x.com/yvonneridley/status/2008567188639064282#m
They are dropping hints in USA TV shows that,
WORKERS-PARTY-of-BRITAIN-ALBA-PARTY-SCOTLAND, are going to destroy Imperialism without mentioning them.
BUT.
WPB & APS version of Indy, which would be “REAL” Indy ie:
No NATO/EU/Lobby/controlled/CENTRAL/BANKING/etc, but creating our own bank to manage OUR Oil/Gas/Whiskey/Water/Beef/Fish/etc/Monies and putting it straight into Scottish Peoples pockets and NOT sent out the back door to a certain Middle Eastern country like it has been since the Scottish Parliament was opened and long before that.
So this proposed REALITY flavor of Scottish Independence will utterly destroy the New World Orders domination plans will be scuppered by “REAL” Rebellion from Scotland, so the Scottish Election will be utterly rigged.
What a time to be alive.
HH
oot.
Is Gerry McCulloch trying to hint here that MON is in the hidden hand society?????
4 mins 15 seconds in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EWOgyBs68k
Hmmmmm.
What kind of club are we really?
HH
oot.
Chairbhoy on 6th January 2026 10:19 pm
Thanks. I’m back in (very) chilly Ottawa since October…
Cheers,
Weeron.
Good Morning Celts…
An Tearmann @ 11:27 pm,
Good statement from the Collective.
Hopefully Chairman Wilson can meet them and a more constructive and meaningful dialogue can take place.
============================
Wilfried Nancy gone but certainly added to the banter years…
WTAF FC
Bonkersball
Disconnect Four etc etc etc
You feel will go down in Celtic fholklore once the trauma subsides.
Agree with those who say we need a new start, the dog now has a couple of hares to chase down and a healthy appetite to do so…
Open windae, that’s handy…
Let’s enjoy the chase…
Aff oot
Hail Hail
Full stadium at full voice and squad supplemented promptly required massive week for us with 18 games to go.
Have a good day…
https://www.youtube.com/live/i4RMTnxsr5s?si=MdN-sqxrz0CzwHs_
Recruitment as per MO’Ns presser appears to be in the hands of Shaun Maloney, apparently Shaun has been spending time on the recruitment, there in itself lies a tale
Mo’n reserves the right to say yay or nay on transfers but will take onboard Shaun and Fozzys knowledge and go with it, every signing is a gamble to some degree, with little time to work in we can only wish them well
We now have MO’N till end of this season, stability, experience, knowledge and a winner, we will stop the tumbling into the bottom six of the SPL the fightback starts against Dundee Utd
We need a clear separation of power at the football club, football dept with its own structure and is transparent and accountable, clearly defined roles for 1st team, B Team, Recruitment, youth development, development of players from B team, Sports science, Medical, clearly outlined on club website, the whole structure for fans to study and understand, follow all the teams results, progress, communications needs to be overhauled, the Masonic secrecy with which the club has been under needs to go, its not a matter of national security, a new model in a new era fit for a modern progressive football club, IMO MO’N is the perfect choice to head up the football dept, next two years in his control, a head coach under his tutelage, short phone calls to Dermot, everything ok Big Dog, enjoy the golf
Big Dog is the stumbling block, remote, intractable, difficult to reach perfectly summed up as the Absentee landlord, the reset that rumours abound with over executives and NEDs if to believe plans are ongoing, the customers will be the last to know, just before season book renewal I suspect announcements will be made
Congrats to The Collective, excellent statement the underlying cause was honest and correct, the tactics at time lacked strategic thought, passion got the better of some, Celtic pulled up the drawbridge, embarked on a propaganda war, used dumbed down on deflection and denial, Wilfried blew it all apart, I have no belief in the new Chairman wrapped in the union flag, political propaganda is the tools of his trade, however jaw Jaw is better than War War, I don’t expect any breakthrough with the new chairman from the old chairman
aff oot
Why you got to war Mr President ?
The Daily Show@TheDailyShow
Trump: We’ll get those political prisoners released in Venezuela, but first, oil!
https://x.com/TheDailyShow/status/2008524453907423542?s=20
B2B must be sleeping in this morning
Two things
1. I am not obsessed about Lawwell, I couldn’t give a monkeys about him, all I did was copy and paste a post to here about him still being at the club, if it was wrong, my fault for not looking into it more, but it kinda shows that I really don’t give a eff about him that I didn’t look into it.
2. Tom, you are a t*at.
https://x.com/yvangil/status/1667734546865876992?lang=en
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/1/6/maduro_venezuela_mehdi_hasan
meanwhile back at the ranch….we are now 3rd, feckin 3rd in the league…..
LR67
Even by your bitter and hun like standards quoting Tom English and Michael Stewart from BBC to try to knock Celtic is a new low.
Agenda is sad and very clear.
Maybe one day you will enjoy life.
Good morning CQN
… and a lively one at that.
Weeron @ 7:44pm last night – wonderful.
Watched Martin’s presser and Lennoxtown Unfiltered.
Martin looked focused.
The training looked loud and boisterous.
Small shoots perhaps.
Roll on Saturday
Lovely (hopefully not too lively)
BURNLEY78 on 7TH JANUARY 2026 9:13 AM
The mask slips B78 the insults with the agenda writ large, rage bait ! it says more about you that me
At least you not hiding behind a multi account, who would do that ? what would be the agenda ? certainly not that of a Celtic man, nor a man either
Im looking forward to Saturday will be in the North Stand easily kept happy win and 3 points
BTW If you not happy with the BBC article take it up with them, personally I thought some very salient insightful comments, Packy Bonnar who was on the panel of the show you refered to was a Celtic player, you could use your connections being an ITK man to contact him and tell Packy you think he is a hun
Have a good day
Simpson-Pusey gone to Cologne for rest of season.
Someone will be along soon to tell B78 he is better than that
I’ll swim against the tide here perhaps and not congratulate the collective on their statement.
“Here’s a litany of this board’s failings
– this
– this
– this
– this
– this
– this
We need unity and reconciliation”
Polite suggestion boys
You catch flies with honey, not vinegar
An alternative statement perhaps?
“It’s been a shambles.
Martin’s reappointment has lifted the spirits of all Celtic supporters after months of deep despondency and hurt.
The board know exactly how we feel about how they operate and perform – see our previous statements.
We certainly know how they feel about us !
For the good of Celtic and everyone, everywhere who loves the club?
… Let’s move forward together.
To the Celtic Board – now is the time.
We’re ready and we await your call”
Does anyone check the collective’s statements for accuracy before they are published?
As far as I am aware, Celtic did not “dispense with” Brendan Rodgers and his coaching team..
He and some of his coaching team resigned , while two others are still in place.
There have been suggestions that Stevie Woods may have performed a CQN style “flounce” and then returned..
Thankfully the club have dispensed with Tisdale, Nancy et al.
A fair few on here will be displeased with Andy Muirhead’s article pointing out that the global parasites are continuing to feed off the club.
Here we go again 🤣😁😆
If you’re unhappy with the Celtic board you’re a bitter Hun.
Hilarious on repeat garbage every day.