Rugger Guy has often said to me that one of the cardinal crimes in the business world is for a CEO to lie to shareholders at an AGM.
With that in mind, I was rather shocked to learn that Celtic’s top guy Peter Lawwell has never had sight of the infamous Five Way Agreement.
I know this to be so because he apparently said it to the Celtic AGM yesterday.
Obviously the club’s chief executive was telling the truth to the AGM this week.
That goes without saying.
I also believe that he said to the meeting that had contacted UEFA apropos the matters relating to Resolution 12 only that morning by telephone.
I’m told that he said that the European body was “not interested” in the issue.
Before he said that at the AGM my guy there said that Chairman Ian Banker had also shared that UEFA had indeed carried out an investigation into the matter but did not say what the outcome was.
These are all important matters to be clarified and I will seek to do so in the coming weeks.
I’m told that the Celtic chairman thought that people should “move on” from the R12 issue.
I think this shows that Mr Bankier has a generosity of spirit and an admirable degree of faith in the Scottish Football Asociation to administer the game fairly in Scotland.
For the avoidance of doubt, I’m sure that both these fine Celtic men were scrupulously honest throughout the AGM.
Of course, anything other than total veracity is unthinkable…
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Having attended the AGM on Wednesday, the most significant development was the lack of support for those who wanted to pursue Resolution 12 aggressively. This differs from previous AGMs where the board was seriously discomforted by the supporters’ views on issues such as the need to pay all employees the minimum wage.
A minority was enthusiastic in its support but most remained silent. For Lawwell, whom I don’t rate, this was golden silence.
Overall, the GM was most noticeable for Bankier, Lawwell and Lennon singing each other’s praises. Since the meeting took place after the achievement of an unprecedented treble treble, the mood of shareholders was distinctly subdued.
The bunnet got rid of one set of corrupt bastards lining their pockets!!, only to be eclipsed by these no yer place wankers!!.
In 50 years supporting celtic i have never taken a penny out!, but put plenty in.
This will be my last season as a ticket holder!!.
Finito!!!.
Feck the board!!.
I’m 62 years old and the board we have now are the best in my time watching Celtic. They are responsible for our current success and dominance in Scottish football. Celtic has never been better run. Desmond and Lawell have done a fantastic job of growing the club on and off the park. Long may they stick around.
Stop typing,your soup is getting cold !
I’m going to say something here that will, in all probability make me look as stupid as I feel I am.
Regularly.
I was abroad when this deal was struck, and frankly, football was way down on my list of priorities at the time.
Five way. Five parties. Who the fuck were they if Celtic WEREN’T involved? I had always assumed that it was the SFA, SPL, Scottish League, Sevco and Celtic.
If Celtic WEREN’T INVOLVED, why the fuck not? And why did we agree to even participate in any cup or league until the full facts of this agreement were made public IF we were not involved.
We were then, were clearly going to be for the foreseeable future and still are, the dominant force in Scottish football. AND WE WERE CUT OUT!
Sorry I just can’t and won’t buy that. If the Celtic Board allowed that to happen on their watch at that time then they failed themselves, the Club, their paying fans and the whole of Scottish football.
I’ve always stopped short of calling PL a liar in the past but I’m going to state very clearly right now.
“I don’t believe you Mr Lawell. And if you’re telling the truth, and you really dont know what’s in that document, you should walk right now and make way for someone with the balls to stand up for the club. Because you clearly failed us back then. You may be the golden boy of the major shareholders and pull in a remuneration package of £3m but to sell the club short like that is unforgivable. The club is not you, DD, or the other major shareholders and beneficiaries. The club is the fans and if you told the truth at the AGM then you sold us down the river. Shame on you! Just go now, with whatever shreds of dignity you can muster!”
Maybe so but why sit back and accept the claim that a 7 year old club is going for 55? They should at least stamp on that stupid statement.
EVERY FOOTBALL FAN IN THE COUNTRY SHOULD STAY IN THE GROUND TO 96 MINUTES THIS WEEKEND. AS CELTIC FANS WE WERE CLOSE TO A DISASTER OURSELVES RECENTLY AND LOOK AT THE COVER UP THERE.
IT COULD BE YOU OR GOD FORBID YOU KID NEXT.
JUSTICE.
A shambles of an AGM, in the midst of every thing Lennon feeding the timely released Green Brigade squirrel some peanuts,Christ going by Lennon’s calculator Lawwell must have cost the club at least 40 players by not pursuing the Resolution 12 agenda.
If Bankier/Lawwell reckon UEFA is not interested then they should pass on documents,information to the apporiate policing authority and let them deal with it.
Oh, and by the way. THE real question that was not touched on, much less answered is; WHY HAD THE CLUB STILL NOT TAKEN THIS TO CAS? That was the next step to be taken as a result of the SFA judicial review.
Phil; there are only 2 possible explanations to Lawwell’ s claim; either he’s lying or he hasn’t seen the 5-way Agreement.
Both are immediate sacking offences in my view. Obviously, lying is straightforward. However, to acknowledge that there is a 5-way agreement, an agreement between SFA and your biggest rival that is secret, and you are ok with it existing and not being privy to it’s contents, is dereliction of office and sackable also!
Absolutely, spot on.
I thought the story was that the 5-Way Agreements that were leaked were only drafts. Whether that is true is equally up for discussion.