Peter Lawwell has been appointed as Celtic chairman and will officially take up his post on 1st January when Ian Bankier steps down.
Lawwell, who had continued representing the club at the European Club Association after leaving his Chief Executive position, was announced as stepping into his new role earlier today.
The Bhoys had significant trophy success during Lawwell’s tenure as chief but attracted criticism from some sections of the support, especially towards the end of his reign. This appointment may well split opinions among fans.
Nonetheless, the club are clearly intent on projecting a united front with Ange Postecoglou, Dermot Desmond and Michael Nicholson all commenting on his new position today.
Postecoglou said: “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.”
Meanwhile, Nicholson added: “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.”
There was even a rare public statement on Celtic from prominent shareholder Desmond, who said: “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.”
We’ll have more reaction and analysis on this appointment and what it means for the club on 67 Hail Hail over the next few days.
In other news, 2 Celtic Bhoys will now face each other in knockout World Cup game.
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