Our club was represented at the Annual General Meeting of Celtic Football Club today, 30 October 2009.

Chairman, John Reid, opened the meeting and apologised that we would have to do the boring stuff  dealing with nine resolutions and hoped to get that done as soon as possible so that there would be as much time as possible for questions.  He noted that whilst top of the SPL we had lost the Championship and he expected ‘robust and passionate debate which is the Celtic Way’.

Brian McBride was standing down due to heavy commitments with Amazon.  Dermot Desmond was not in attendance as he had urgent business elsewhere.  He was represented by Michael Walsh.

As usual there were three videos, one each from John Reid, Peter Lawwell and Tony Mowbray.

Mr Reid said in our current situation the team needed backing and not barracking and we should stay ‘faithful through and through’.  He re-iterated that the Club would stay in our control and not that of financial institutions.  He had no regrets about raising the issue of the famine song and abhorred all forms of racism and sectarianism. He made reference in this regard to the behaviour of Hamburg supporters on their recent visit to Celtic Park.

Peter Lawwell confirmed that Celtic had made strenuous efforts to strengthen the team in January.  He reminded us that past January transfer windows had given us Roy Keane, Barry Robson and Giorgios Samaras.  He rejected entirely the notion that we had used Rangers FC as a benchmark and had decided just to keep in front of them.  He said the Board wanted to develop Celtic and all profits are re-invested.  He reminded us of our situation 15 years ago and warned that the club would remain independent (of the financial institutions).  He addressed the criticism of the Board that they were unambiguous and lacking in foresight.  He said that all members were at the top of their respective disciplines and that didn’t change when they came to Celtic Park.  He noted with dismay the disappearance of the Reserve League and said that our second string would play sides in Ireland and England.  He commented that they were working on plans to replace Celtic TV.  He also said that we continued our efforts to increase the awareness of our brand in Asia.

Tony Mowbray told the meeting that he had plugged a couple of holes on the departures of Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink , Paul Hartley and Shunsuke Nakamura.  He brought in a few players until he had the chance to assess the playing squad that he had inherited.  He  said that players who were left out of the team could either sulk or put their chests out and get on with it – he saw some falling by the wayside.  He reckoned it would be another two transfer windows until all departments of the team had been touched.  He had put different demands on players to do things in a new way.  It is his culture to inspire players.

Due to the numbers attending there was an overspill from the Kerrydale Suite in to the Investor Club lounge.  There was point of order that the Chairman had not notified the meeting of this nor had the votes of the overspill on the first resolutions been recorded.  The majorities were such that this did not impact on the result.  Dr Reid had a monitor in front of him but he thought it was a view from the rear of the main hall and not from another room.  This was rectified but the overspill room was in darkness and bodies were only identified when shareholders held up their voting cards.  It was in my opinion, pure slapstick, however, credit to all concerned and all was sorted out quickly and satisfactorily.

On the election of Board members, there was a move from Jeanette Findlay of the Celtic Trust for a poll on the election of Dr Reid, Tom Allison and Dermot Desmond.  This was in preference to a show of hands.  The result would be posted on the Club website.

At this stage there was a question from the floor for Dr Reid to ask him if he felt he was an asset or a liability to the Club as many had said they would not return to Celtic while he was the Club Chairman.  This was due to his political past including involvement in war decisions. There was some jeering at this point but Dr Reid responded by saying that 54,000 season ticket holders answered that question.

A question was asked regarding share dividends.  There are three types of shares.  Ordinary, Preference (dividend paid) and converted to Ordinary. The latter promised a dividend for 6 years until August 2007.  Although the Head Office of Computershare is in Bristol the Company Secretary, Robert Howat, would be pleased to take a phone call from any shareholder who had a query.  Just call switchboard and ask for him.  Dr Reid joked that he would also take calls from anybody who thought the team were playing rubbish.

Questions were invited from the floor.  Dr Reid expected questions to be helpful, critical, robust and passionate as ‘that is what we do’.  He said that we were in a period of transition and he expected it to be done in a fraternal way however he lived more in hope than expectation.  Dr Reid said it was difficult to know when to re-build a team.  Should it be done in a period of success or when we start o fail?  He said that Gordon Strachan had told the Board he was leaving after the last game of the season and they had no prior notice of his intentions although Strachan has since told the media he had made up his mind to leave 4 or 5 months before that.

Peter Lawwell addressed the issue of signings last January.  There was a list of 20 possible candidates.  He said that the market was stagnant and the Club had made strenuous effort to sign players especially a left full-back.  

One questioner asked for something to be done for supporters in these recessionary times and it was highlighted that kids could get a season ticket for as little as £50 which represented a cost of £2.60 per game.  There was need for balance here as the club will only re-invest the money it has generated and therefore available.

Jeanette Findlay of The Celtic Trust said that amongst all the humour and back-slapping that was going on at this meeting she asked if the Board they realised the feelings of the support and how disillusioned is the Club’s fanbase.  Dr Reid asked her not to patronise the meeting because if we have a joke then that is OK and if she wanted a bunch of holy willies she should go to the other side of the city.  She objected strongly to that remark and retorted by saying she had no place there.  The joust between these two is a highlight of any AGM.  He added there was no lack of ambition at Celtic as 4 victories in the last 6 SPL Championships would testify.  He asked what was considered a lack of ambition.  Is that the accrual of debt?  He reminded us again of the events of 15 years ago.  Peter Lawwell told us that in the Seville year (2003) our transfer spend was £44 m and now £42m rising to £44m with the acquisition of Ki Sung Yong in January 2010.  Current wages are £2m per year more now that in 2003.  He said were we are not downsizing and asserted that allegations of such are bogus and nonsense.

As last year, more complaints were made by those affected by UEFA ticket requirements for home Champions League and Europa League matches.  The Club has extended the seating area so that those involved will affected less often.  Anyone with any queries regarding this subject should contact Peter Lawwell at the Club through his PA, Eleanor O’Neil.

A questioner slated Tony Mowbray for his performance saying he wasted £8m of transfer funds.  He argued that the Manager’s demeanour was poor.  He stood at matches with his arms folded, seemed to lack of motivation and there was unrest in the dressing room.  Tony said he did not feel that he had to defend himself on his style or manner and that motivation came from within.  His strength was to inspire and create a cause to play for the shirt and the team.   He said he had a very good relationship with the players and there was no unrest in the dressing room.  He enjoyed training and was intent on building and moulding a team.  He said he would not use the word ‘quality’ again in his dealings with the media as they had portrayed this as him ‘rubbishing’ the players – one thing he had learned since taking the Celtic job was that the media had a clear intention to put a wedge between him and the players and create a divide.  He wanted players who were comfortable on the ball, had a good touch and could move the ball around the pitch quickly…..there were gasps from those around me such is the perceived inability of many of the current squad to do this.

Another questioner called the Manager and Chairman to account for Gary Caldwell’s actions in speaking to the media on the day of the match against Happoel Tel-Aviv.  He had previously told anybody who would listen that they should speak to his agent but changed his tactic on the day of this match.  The questioner felt that he should have been sent home on the first plane and the offer of a contaract withdrawn the next morning or offered the amount that he was worth…..£1000 a week.  The Chairman refused to discuss contract issues in public.

The same questioner asked Tony Mowbray to send Giorgios Samaras to Johnny’s The Barber in the Gallowgate for a haircut given that he is unable to head a ball home from two yards.  In his opinion, the Greek striker bears a striking resemblance to someone just released from Long Kesh.

He also complained about the lack of the Club’s protest following the match at Ibrox where Celtic were refused three clear penalties.  Dr Reid considered that the time to do this was when the SPL Championship had been secured and not after a defeat as this would be considered to be ‘sour grapes’.

A shareholder asked if the AGM could be beamed to Celtic’s many supporters in Ireland.   Peter Lawwell said he would be pleased to arrange a special meeting  in Ireland but the AGM will always be held at Celtic Park.

The issue of signings was discussed again.  Dr Reid explained that whilst Celtic receive £1.8m for winning the SPL, English clubs get up to £70m in the same circumstances.  Celtic have a scouting system and initial research is done via satellite TV at Lennoxtown then scouts refer potential signing targets to the Manager and senior board members who then take the matter forward.  Tony Mowbray said that South American targets are viable as many have Italian passports and satisfy EEC rules.   Dr Reid said that we can only really target young players, develop them and sell them on as the cost of seasoned internationals and desirable  young playing talent is beyond our means.  They cautioned that this can’t happen overnight.  The Club’s plan is to get value for money.

Results of the poll on Resolutions 3, 4 and 5 as posted on the Celtic FC website

At the Annual General Meeting of Celtic plc held earlier today, polls were called on Resolutions 3, 4 and 5 relating to the re-elections of Tom Allison, John Reid and Dermot Desmond as directors of Celtic. Shareholders have voted overwhelmingly to re-elect each of these Directors.

The results of the poll, certified by Computershare Investor Services plc, who acted as scrutineer, are as follows:

RESOLUTION 3 (RE- ELECTION OF TOM ALLISON)
Votes in favour: 68,008,700 (99.88%)
Votes against: 84,908 (0.12%)
Votes withheld: 11,421
OUTCOME: RESOLUTION 3 CARRIED

RESOLUTION 4 (RE-ELECTION OF JOHN REID)
Votes in favour: 68,017,548 (99.87%)
Votes against: 87,124 (0.13%)
Votes withheld: 2,750
OUTCOME: RESOLUTION 4 CARRIED

RESOLUTION 5 (RE-ELECTION OF DERMOT DESMOND)
Votes in favour: 67,972,619 (99.83%)
Votes against: 112,916 (0.17%)
Votes withheld: 9,104
OUTCOME: RESOLUTION 5 CARRIED

Discretionary proxy votes in the name of the Chairman were cast in favour of each of the resolutions on which a poll was conducted.

Celtic Chairman Dr John Reid said: "We are delighted with the outcome of today’s vote, which was also very much reflective of the voting in person at the AGM on a show of hands. We are grateful to our shareholders for their support and endorsement.”