CELTIC has confirmed current Hoops Chairman Ian Bankier will step down from his role at the end of THIS year.
The chairman will make way for his successor when the clock strikes midnight on hogmonay.
Speaking to the Celtic website Ian said: “It has been an honour and a privilege to serve the Club I will always love, as Chairman, for more than ten years.
“Our aim was always to deliver success on and off the pitch and, above all, to give Celtic fans a club they could be proud of. During this time, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with so many fantastic people who have had Celtic in their hearts and worked so hard for our Club.
“I know Dermot, Michael, and the rest of the Board will continue to seek the very best for Celtic at all times and will seek to ensure that Celtic maintains its position as the biggest and best club in Scottish football, as well as progressing as a force in European football.
“I wish the Board, our fantastic manager Ange, our players and staff and, of course, all our supporters much continued success as our great Club continues to move forward.”
Director and principal shareholder, Dermot Desmond commented: “I would like to thank Ian sincerely for his contribution to Celtic across the past decade.
“Ian has provided great counsel and stability across a sustained period of growth and success for the Club, and I wish Ian and his family well for the future.
“We will ensure that we work very closely with Ian over the next few months to deliver a smooth and effective transition prior to announcing his successor.”
Michael Nicholson, Celtic Chief Executive, added: “I would like to wish Ian the very best for the future.
“Ian has led the board with great skill and dedication during an important time in the Club’s history and a period of success on and off the field.
“Throughout, Ian has been a source of constant support for all members of the Board, and we are all grateful to him for that.”
It would make sense to finish at the end of a year as chairman in most business setups, but given it’s halfway through Celtic’s season, it’s a bit strange to see the chairman leave then.
However, football moves fast, and the thoughts will quickly move to Mr Bankier’s replacement. Celtic hasn’t divulged who will be taking over, and as said above, there will now be a period of seeking out the best candidate for the role.
The Celtic board have shown themselves to like inside hires. Dom McKay’s time at the club lasted just three months as the new chief exec before stepping down. The board then moved to appoint Michael Nicholson, who has been at the club for a long time.
Could we see a hire within the board already, or are there old faces who could come back onto the scene?
Sharon Brown could be a candidate for the role. Brown has been a non-executive director on the board since 2016 and could offer a fresh face and perspective at the top.
We’ll obviously find out in due course. The season begins this weekend, and most fans we speak to are fixated on the football. As it should be1
