What Peter Lawwell’s Celtic exit could mean for the club’s future

Celtic have announced that club chairman Peter Lawwell will resign after more than 20 years of service.

An official statement was shared on Wednesday evening saying that Lawwell’s resignation will be effective from December 31.

However, despite overseeing unprecedented domestic triumph, the Parkhead chairman’s resignation will be received with rejoice by many Hoops fans. This begs the question – how is success defined at Celtic?

Peter Lawwell to stand down as Chairman

— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) December 17, 2025

Why did Peter Lawwell step down as Celtic chairman?

Celtic’s season has continuously gone from bad to worse. A disappointing summer transfer window, elimination in Champions League qualifiers and Brendan Rodgers’ resignation led to a mass fan protest at the club’s AGM.

Anti-board demonstrations have since become the norm on matchdays, with many calling for the group to be replaced.

Citing an increase in “intolerable” abuse, Lawwell took the decision to step away.

How long was Peter Lawwell at Celtic and what did he win?

Peter Lawwell has served as Celtic’s non-executive chairman since January 2023. He was previously the chief executive from 2003 to 2021.

Lawwell’s tenure saw Celtic win 38 trophies and five domestic trebles – including a world record four trebles in a row.

He also oversaw the development of the club’s training centre at Lennoxtown.

In December of last year, Celtic also overtook Rangers as Scotland’s most successful club – a 24-trophy-swing since Lawwell first passed through Parkhead gates.

This all sounds great, but could it have been better? When liquidation saw Rangers start anew in the lower divisions of Scottish football, Celtic had a free hit at just about every domestic trophy.

Despite consistently winning the league in those years, regular cup disappointments to the likes of Ross County and Inverness highlighted that this was a poor Hoops era.

The biggest disappointment of all was failing to win a record breaking tenth league title in a row in 2021. With the state Rangers had been in for so long, Lawwell’s Celtic should have left them in the dust. 

Instead, a poor manager appointment and lackluster transfer window culminated in Lawwell’s first grand resignation and a season to forget. Rangers, who had been down and out for so long, won the title at Peter Lawwell’s expense.

The best and worst Celtic signings overseen by Peter Lawwell

Celtic under Peter Lawwell followed a simple transfer strategy: buy low and sell high.

The approach for years was to buy relatively unproven players for a low cost (up to £5million), develop them, and sell for a higher fee.

It’s a similar model used by teams like Club Brugge and Ajax, who aim to compete with the wealth of Europe’s big five leagues. It allowed Celtic to become financially strong – they have £77million in the bank.

But for every big-money sale like Matt O’Riley and Nicholas Kuhn, there were twice as many duds like Albian Ajeti and Mo Bangura.

There is a feeling amongst fans that transfers under Lawwell were too inconsistent. Sure, every now and then you found a Virgil van Dijk, but far too often Celtic’s scouts fell short –  suggesting poor leadership at the top.

How is success defined at Celtic?

Celtic fans want two things: domestic dominance and European progress.

Despite the 2021 slip-up, it is fair to say that Lawwell largely delivered on the former – particularly in the Rodgers and Postecoglou eras.

And while the Bhoys may have succeeded in Scotland, continental football was a different, and scarring, beast.

Celtic have not won a European knockout game since April 2003, six months before Lawwell became chief executive. 

Club Update. pic.twitter.com/Xl68pRdxq4

— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) December 17, 2025

European woes were only enhanced by Champions League qualifier defeats by the likes of Maribor, Cluj and Kairat Almaty – clubs with calibre far below what is expected of Celtic.

These early season continental disappointments often coincided with lackluster transfer windows, which furthered fan disapproval of those in charge at Celtic.

If the Hoops want to be a modern and progressive club in European football, competing consistently in the Champions League is a must. The only way to achieve this is by building a squad capable of competing with the elite. Far too often the Hoops fell short of this standard on Peter Lawwell’s watch.

What does Lawwell’s departure mean for Celtic?

Looking forward, Peter Lawwell leaves behind a financially stable Celtic, but the positives stop there.

There are major question marks around new coach, Wilfried Nancy, who is already failing on his long to-do list if he is to succeed in Glasgow. Reinforcements this January are needed if the Hoops are to retain their Scottish crown.

The relationship between fans and the board will continue to be as sour as ever. To many supporters, Lawwell’s head is only the first to roll. Protests will continue.

Only time will tell if Celtic will make progress without Lawwell – and that progress will be measured against more than two decades of domestic dominance and hopes of stronger European headway.