Brian Wilson came to Nicholson’s defence after fans called for his resignation
15:01, 24 Feb 2026Updated 15:48, 24 Feb 2026
Celtic chairman Brian Wilson meets fans outside Easter Road(Image: SNS Group)
Celtic fans demanded Michael Nicholson‘s resignation at a recent sitdown with chairman Brian Wilson – and accused him of contradicting himself in defending the under-fire CEO.
That’s according to minutes that have emerged online from the meeting between the board and the Celtic Fans’ Collective last week.
Celtic fans remain at odds with the board and interim chairman Wilson was forced to release a statement on Friday after tennis ball protests halted their Europa League clash with Stuttgart. Punters remain furious over a number of issues, high among them the poor recruitment which they feel cost them a place in the Champions League this season and has allowed Hearts and Rangers to steal a march on them domestically.
The ongoing lockout of the Green Brigade is another bone of contention and the Fans Collective say that at a meeting last Wednesday (February 18), they took the board to task on a number of issues, from Wilfried Nancy’s disastrous appointment and a perceived “lack of preparedness” in the January window, to the recent financial results and the “tone and conduct at the recent AGM.”
The first issue discussed was Nicholson, and Fans Collective spokesperson Jeanette Findlay “set out the view that he should not remain as CEO beyond the current season.” She cited:
Three major appointments (Tisdale, Nancy, Hargreaves) viewed as detrimental 2 of which have been relieved of their duties.Repeated recruitment failings across windows.Poor management of managerial transition.Growing supporter boycotts and withholding of spending.A breakdown of trust and credibility.
In response, chairman Wilson acknowledged concerns but claimed he ‘considers his performance this season acceptable.’ In response, Findlay told him there was an ‘inherent contradiction in acknowledging significant failures whilst simultaneously describing the CEO’s performance as acceptable’ and argued ‘this position was difficult for supporters to reconcile and risked undermining credibility in the room.’
Wilson then ‘reiterated that responsibility rests with the Board collectively’ and made no commitment to change.
On Nancy, Wilson admitted the appointment was ‘not good’ and circumstances ‘far from ideal’.
Wilson was also pressed on whether the club will use the same recruitment process that led to Nancy’s appointment to find their next manager in the summer. He ‘confirmed that the recruitment process is under review’ and pointed to Ange Postecoglou as a success of the recruitment system.
The Fans Collective didn’t buy that and say Postecoglou’s appointment, while successful, ‘reflected a recurring reliance on established personal and professional networks, referencing perceived links between the City Group and individuals formerly connected to the Club’s leadership.’
To which Wilson explained the decision was made by a ‘nominations committee’ – and revealed only that Dermot Desmond and Michael Nicholson were involved.
He was then asked that ‘if the club did not believe it was the process that was at fault for the appointment, did they then believe it was those individuals currently managing the process at fault?’ And Wilson ‘said he did not but would not indicate where he believed the fault was in recent recruitment.’
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