Lawwell better than Larsson- cheerleader Andy goes OTT on SSB

Andy from Stirling took things way too far when he got through to Simon Donnelly and Hugh Keevins on Super Scoreboard on Friday night.

The show started two hours after Celtic had announced the resignation of the Head of First Team Scouting and Recruitment, Mark Lawwell and his side-kick Joe Dudgeon, who watched Marco Tilio for three years before snapping up the Melbourne City winger for 28 minutes of action as a Celtic player.

Probably 90% or more of the Celtic support were delighted by the news that Peter’s hopeless laddie was being taken out of the front line but most acknowledged that there are far deeper problems at the club.

Most of those issues stem from the Chairman, a man who will forever be associated with managed decline and a complete failure to grasp opportunities outside of his cherished O** F*** bubble.

For 17 years as CEO Lawwell kept a lid on Celtic’s development and turnover while being outrageously rewarded by the stale old men on the Remuneration Committee.

In 2004 Celtic had a turnover of £67m, a CEO being paid £180,000 and Bayern Munich celebrating a 0-0 Champions League draw at Celtic Park.

After a ridiculous 15 year reign turnover had nudged up to £83m, the CEO took home over £3.5m in salary and bonus while AEK Athens ended Celtic’s Champions League hopes in the third qualifying round. Adding icing to that cake Youssouf Mulumbu was signed up after Lawwell refused to sign John McGinn.

📝👑 “Peter Lawwell was a better signing for Celtic than Henrik Larsson. The fans need to get a grip”
🥶🚫 “He didn’t resign because it’s too cold in Scotland – he resigned because his work is unsatisfactory”
☎ Andy in Stirling called in reaction to Mark Lawwell’s resignation. pic.twitter.com/RIzI7jdWHt
— Clyde 1 Superscoreboard (@ClydeSSB) March 1, 2024

There are a sizeable number of Andy’s out there, almost all of a certain age group who seem to think that having lived through Celtic winning three trophies in the nineties we should be forever grateful for anything that exceeds that level of success.

This month will mark 20 years since Celtic won a knock-out tie in Europe, putting Lawwell’s achievements in context Giovanni van Bronckhorst won four knock-out ties in a year with a Tribute Act less than 10 years old.

With Lawwell exerting greater influence on the club the January 2009 transfer window was pivotal as Gordon Strachan chased a fourth successive SPL title with two last 16 places in the Champions League to his credit.

Rather than sign Steven Fletcher from Hibs Lawwell swooped for Willo Flood.

Celtic lost three successive titles under three different managers while the CEO cemented his place at the club for unknown reasons.

The liquidation of Rangers in 2012 ought to have given Celtic a clear run at the riches of Champions League football to transform every area of the club.

Four years later under a project manager Celtic limped to the title in front of home crowds close to 30,000 with Nadir Ciftci, Colin Kazim Richards and Carlton Cole as strikers. Fortunately Leigh Griffiths and Kieran Tierney carried the team to the SPL title despite humiliating semi-final defeats in both cup competitions.

Lawwell managed to get rid off Brendan Rodgers within three years first time around- after yesterday’s development it looks like the manager could outlast the Chairman plunging Andy into a fresh bout of despair.

CLICK HERE for joy Keith Jackson breaks Off The Record Golden Rule.

CLICK HERE for Celtic’s brief Lawwell statement.