Outgoing Celtic chairman Ian Bankier has used his final appearance at today’s AGM to defend his performance at the head of the club.
After 12 years, the 70-year-old is stepping down from his position at the start of next year, with no replacement yet announced by Celtic.
Bankier spoke in the AGM video about various issues over his final season and a half at the club, including the appointment of Ange Postecoglou, but used his final words in the interview to brand his role as “widely misunderstood”.
In an interview posted to Celtic’s official YouTube channel alongside CEO Michael Nicholson and CFO Chris Mckay, he said: “It’s been an extraordinary passage of my life; life-changing, probably.
“Over the period of my career, I’ve been in a lot of big situations, but I don’t think I’ve been in anything quite like football and Celtic. it demands a lot, the role of the chair is widely misunderstood, my job is to stay away and stay out of the football pages.
“People don’t see anything of what I do, but what I do I have done to the very best of my ability, I’ve been a team player, I’ve worked for the club and the executives.”
Bankier offered little insight into what his role actually entails, but he did defend the club’s overall trajectory under his reign.
He said: “Although it’s very hybrid and it’s very different, the fundamentals of it remain the same, you’ve got to have realistic ambition, and you’ve got to have a plan to achieve that ambition and you’ve got to stick to that plan. I think the record shows that’s what the club has done over the last twelve years.
“It’s had a plan, it’s stuck to it, and it’s achieved almost all of its objectives.”
The chairman did offer some words for the supporters in the final part of his statement. He said: “I guess that the last, last word from me is to recognise the supporters.
“I’ve personally never encountered anything like their passion for Celtic and for everything we’re trying to do and I really wish the club and the supporters the very best going forward.”
Lack of transparency leaves supporters with little to go on
Whilst Bankier may be correct about his role being misunderstood, there’s rarely if ever any clarity offered on these matters and what his role actually entails, so supporters can only go on what little information they are offered, and use the few opportunities they’re given to actually communicate with the board to voice their concerns.
Bankier was roundly booed at a fiery AGM last season, despite Celtic showing improvements on the pitch as Postecoglou’s side began to click, fans were rightly outraged by the club’s showings over the previous year both on and off the pitch, with a disastrous trophy-less season accompanied by a very public failure to appoint Eddie Howe.
With this likely being the last time Bankier speaks as chairman, here’s hoping that his replacement can give supporters some much-needed insight into the decision-making processes at the club, so that the right people can be held accountable going forward.
In other news: Celtic announce class sponsor switch for Dundee United clash
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