It would be hard to draw up greater contrasts than Dom McKay and Michael Nicholson. Both have been CEO of Celtic but that is where the comparisons end.
McKay has the confidence of a CV full of achievements and ambitions to do more of the same. Nicholson is apparently a great team player, others would describe the ‘leading sports lawyer’ as a nodding dog.
McKay lasted 72 days as Celtic CEO before the Board realised that they had appointed a dangerous outsider with modern views.
Nicholson is now into year six of lurking in the shadows. While he dodges responsibility and accountability his salary grows towards £1m a year.
So far Nicholson has faced the media three times.
In June 2023 alongside Peter Lawwell and Brendan Rodgers he let slip his world class ambitions for the club. Obviously no examples of success were given.
In December 2025 he read out scripted answers with Gerry Paxman McCulloch as he drooled with excitement over Wilfried Nancy. The outstanding candidate, the man Celtic had wanted for some time to lead the club. Nancy lasted 33 days delivering six defeats in eight matches.
Nicholson hasn’t been heard since.
Nothing about Celtic is world class except Executive pay levels.
Without a powerful managerial figure like Ange Postecoglou or Brendan Rodgers the true state of Celtic is exposed. Led by the complete lack of leadership from the empty suit draining a salary as CEO.
McKay told supporters from fan media outlets
I’ve received quite a lot of reports on how things have gone over the past number of years. Recruitment’s one area I’ve seen reports on.
It’s really critical for this club to make sure it’s world class, that it looks around the world to benchmark itself.
And that’s what we’re going to be doing – whether that’s recruitment, academy, business operations, whatever that may be – to benchmark ourselves against the best in class.
We want to, definitely, evolve that. The lessons about the past, of course you’ll learn those, but I really want to learn the lessons of other successful and similar sized clubs across the world.
And there’s good examples of those, be it Sevilla or Brentford, whoever it might be. We’re looking at that right now
RECRUITMENT AT CELTIC
McKay trusted Frank Trimboli to lead the way with recruitment. Lawwell had appointed Nick Hammond as Head of Football Operations in October 2019 after a trial run in the summer.
That appointment turned out to be as pointless and short sighted as most on Lawwell’s watch. Hammond was a name to put against a vacancy while the CEO drove every recruitment decision.
Postecoglou inherited the signing of Liam Shaw from Sheffield Wednesday with Osaze Urhoghide technically the first signing made by the Australian.
Then things got serious even if Liel Abada was the only squad addition available to face Midtjylland in the Champions League qualifier. Kyogo Furuhashi and Carl Starfelt were signed, neither in the ‘project’ category. Joe Hart and James McCarthy were next, it is unlikely that the midfielder was pushed through by the new manager.
Josip Juranovic was next, a quality time-served Croatian internationalist for just £2.5m.
Finally, on Deadline Day three critical signings were made. Giorgos Giakoumakis, again for a fee of £2.5m from relegated Breda alongside loan deals for Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers. All of those arrivals were funded from selling Kris Ajer, Odsonne Edouard and Ryan Christie.
Critically the ground was laid for signing Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate before McKay mysteriously left on September 10. He delivered the Gold Standard in transfer windows. Highlighted by every transfer window conducted by Nicholson.
Trimoboli was eased aside, Mark Lawwell was parachuted in from being Head of Content on the Manchester City website.
Lawwell Junior gave way for Paul Tisdale who inflicted Wilfried Nancy on the club. They have all been paid off, numerous posts lie vacant throughout the club as Nicholson smirks away draining £17k a week plus expenses and jollies on the Celtic Family Gravy Train.
THE CELTIC ACADEMY
McKay spoke hopefully of the opportunities opening up for the B team players in the Lowland League. Last week one time prospect Owen Moffat scored against Celtic B for East Kilbride in the KDM Trophy.
At the 2024 AGM Nicholson was asked to name the last Academy player to come through and start a first team match. He didn’t have a clue, turning to Brendan Rodgers to deflect an answer for his CEO.
Last season Dane Murray and Colby Donovan started a few matches but are clearly well short of what is required. The best period of development in Murray’s game came during four months on loan at Queens Park. Celtic terminated that in mid season, Murray’s development has stalled ever since.
To cover up for the lack of emerging talent Celtic spent £12m on the Barrowfield Training Complex. Young players get the best of training facilities then are sent out to play on plastic pitches in the Lowland League West. Home matches are played on the plastic pitch at Airdrie.
Celtic don’t bother with match reports on B team matches, no video highlights appear on You Tube even though every match is covered for analysis.
More than five years down the line there is nothing coming through the Academy. Not that anyone inside Celtic cares
BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Another area of the club that has stood still.
McKay has moved on to become CEO of Scottish Events Campus covering the Hydro and associated venues. On the front foot, showing ambition, looking to expand and grow.
Last week Oasis announced that they will play for five nights at Celtic Park in May 2027. It is safe to say that this has been driven by the Gallagher brothers rather than Nicholson going out chasing business.
Without doubt Celtic Park will be the most dated venue that Oasis will play at on their 2027 tour. The Celtic Park facilities will need to be substantially upgraded for the audiences that oasis attracts. Celtic don’t even bother with hot water or Wifi for 90% of their supporters.
Celtic Park got an external makeover to host the opening ceremony for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. In exchange CEO Lawwell gave up home advantage for two Champions League qualifiers.
In the summer of 2025 the South Stand executive boxes got a makeover. The stadium is very much out of date. It is badly lacking in hospitality volume while the facilities in the three ‘new’ stands build in the nineties by Fergus McCann are primitive.
The South Stand is the elephant in the room. Effectively unchanged since construction in 1971, with foundations from 1920.
EUROPEAN EMBARRASSMENT
On European nights it is badly shown up.
Executive guests shuffle along narrow corridors, television cameras scan around to try and capture the teams walking out onto the pitch.
All the while Nicholson’s remains as CEO, presiding over consecutive failures to reach the Champions League, knocked out by unseeded opponents.
In the background the Non Executive Directors nod through instructions from afar, content with their place on the gravy train.
Celtic truly are world class in missed opportunities. With Dom McKay at the top of that lengthy list.
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2 Comments
by Bhoy4life
MN hasn’t said much, but if you read McKay above and then look at what little MN has said, it seems he’s word jumbled McKay’s quote with the “ best in the world with everything we do” shite.
Hasn’t even got an original thought of his own, no wonder the wage stealing weasel keeps quiet.
by Quietly Brilliant
Another Excellent Piece Sir!