Celtic’s AGM opened this morning with close attention on who was present at the top table and inside the hall, as the club entered one of its most scrutinised annual meetings in recent years.
Proceedings were formally underway when the session was unexpectedly adjourned within minutes, adding an extra layer of tension to what was already shaping up to be a significant day for the club.
Peter Lawwell took the chair, flanked by a full board contingent barring one notable absence. Brian Rose and Brian Wilson were seated alongside fellow directors Sharon Brown, Chris McKay and George Campbell. Chief executive Michael Nicholson was also in position, reflecting the club’s senior leadership gathered in full view of shareholders. Celtic Women’s manager Elena Sadiku was present too, taking her place among the club’s football department representatives.
The most prominent missing figure was Tom Alison, with the board informing the room he was unable to attend due to unforeseen circumstances. That announcement drew some surprise, given the level of scrutiny surrounding this year’s AGM and the expectation that all senior figures would be in the building. Just as noticeable was the absence of the club’s principal shareholder Dermot Desmond who has become central to ongoing discussions around the club’s direction. Their non-attendance did not go unnoticed by those seated in the stalls.
Among the football figures, interim manager Martin O’Neill drew plenty of attention as he arrived and took his seat in the hall. His presence added a layer of intrigue to the morning, given the team’s current transitional state and the uncertainty around the long-term managerial position. With Sadiku also in attendance, both senior coaches were visible as part of a meeting that, even before its opening statements, carried more weight than most.
Shareholders filled the hall well ahead of the scheduled start time, with a noticeably larger contingent opting to attend in person compared to previous years. The sense of anticipation, and in some corners agitation, was clear. Many were focused on reading the room before any official business began, gauging who was present, who was missing and how that might shape the tone of the day.
Lawwell opened the session with the usual formalities, but the meeting reached a standstill almost immediately. After early tension inside the hall, the chairman confirmed a temporary adjournment. The announcement paused proceedings before the board had the chance to move deeper into the agenda, leaving shareholders to reflect on what had already unfolded.
Soccer Football – Scottish Premiership – Rangers v Celtic – Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain – May 13, 2023 Celtic non-executive Chairman Peter Lawwell in the stands before the match REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
As the room settled during the adjournment, attention remained fixed on those occupying the stage, and those who were not. With a full agenda still to be addressed and a pressurised atmosphere surrounding the club, the identities in the room continue to shape the narrative of an AGM that has already departed from the norm.
The meeting is set to resume, but the early interruption has served as a reminder of the scrutiny facing every figure linked to Celtic’s leadership.
