Mark McGhee has claimed that Peter Lawwell’s departure has coincided with a ‘change of mentality’ at the Celtic board.
The chairman’s sudden resignation came early in the disastrous reign of Wilfried Nancy, with Brian Wilson replacing him on an interim basis.
Lawwell is, however, best-known for his long-term reign as CEO, during which he established a close working relationship with principal shareholder Dermot Desmond.
McGhee, who spent four years playing for Celtic having supported them as a boy, has given his own take based on his experiences with the board.
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Speaking on talkSPORT, McGhee said: “I think with Peter Lawwell winding down and eventually retiring…
“Peter was a huge influence on how things were managed and how things were driven, as Dermot Dermond’s sort-of proxy, making things happen on his behalf.
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“And I think when he started to lose his focus in a sense, then the whole thing started to get less than it should be.
“I think it was just going wrong, there wasn’t authority there. I even feel at the moment, a little bit – not with Martin of course, because Martin has a huge amount of authority – but up until that point, I felt as if there was no leadership.
“There wasn’t, at the top, you know… for instance, you go into the club and you go into the boardroom. [In the past], you didn’t get into the boardroom.
“It was a bit sacrosanct. Now, everyone and their brother’s in there.
“And it just represents a change of mentality. I know it sounds petty, but it’s just different.”
Asked his thoughts on Desmond’s scathing attack on Brendan Rodgers, McGhee said: “If you’re going to accept that, you have to believe that what Dermot was saying was true.
“If we believe that what Dermot was saying was true, then he’s got every right to say what he said. Whether it was true or not, I don’t know. I can’t really be the judge of that.
“But as a [principal shareholder], in the situation and the way it evolved at that time, I would want to say something – if I knew it was true.”
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Celtic’s season of change
Lawwell’s resignation was one of many seismic changes at Celtic in what has been a remarkable 2025-26 season.
Rodgers’ departure came completely from the blue; he stated that he’d “never been more motivated” in his job just a day earlier.
Along with Nancy and all of his coaching staff, Paul Tisdale was also dismissed from his role as Head of Football Operations in early January.
B team manager Darren O’Dea was poached by Swansea, whilst head of scouting Jay Lefevre also made the same move. Elena Sadiku left her role as manager of Celtic Women to join BK Hacken.
No one is safe… apart from Desmond, of course.
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