Celtic directors' pay up 7.6% as AGM tension builds
Alan Rough says the Celtic board "haven't listened at all" to supporters on recruitment, as directors' pay rises ahead of the 1 December AGM.
By Peter Martin,
On The Football Show, the panel turned to Celtic's finances, with directors' overall pay up 7.6% and the club reported to have about £66 million in the bank. The figures come ahead of Celtic's AGM on 1 December, a meeting that looks set to be stormy.
Recruitment frustration
The central criticism on the show was that the board has not listened to supporters over recruitment. Alan Rough put it bluntly, saying the directors "haven't listened at all" to supporters on the subject.
That charge gives the pay figures their edge. A rise in directors' overall pay and a substantial sum in the bank, set against the panel's view that supporters' concerns on recruitment have gone unheard, hand the AGM an obvious focus.
Winning as the way out
The panel were clear about what would ease the tension at Celtic Park. In their view, winning games is the only way to do it, with results in Europe in particular singled out.
With the AGM on 1 December, the board faces those questions on pay, money in the bank and recruitment in front of shareholders. On the panel's reading, what happens on the pitch, and especially in Europe, will do most to settle the mood around the club.