The official! Celtic FC website have just released the following statement, confirming that Neil Lennon has resigned as manager of Celtic with immediate effect. News broke last night, initially leaked to David Friel, the ex-Celtic News staffer now writing for Scottish Sun, that Lennon had been sacked with John Kennedy being put in charge of the side until the end of the season. Details were sparse but the story was clearly true and Stephen McGowan on the Scottish Daily Mail shortly afterwards ran with the same story.
Perhaps the first leak came from Lennon’s camp whereas the confirmation came from a source very close to the Celtic CEO? Who knows, what we now know for sure is that Neil Lennon is no longer the manager of Celtic football club with the official announcement being made shortly after 7am this morning, ironically enough exactly 2 years after Brendan Rodgers’ last game in charge of our club.
Celtic PLC officially confirmed the news via their formal Announcement to the London Stock Exchange first thing this morning…
This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014 as amended by regulation 11 of the Market Abuse (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019/310. Upon the publication of this announcement, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.
24 February 2021
CELTIC PLC
(“Celtic” or the “Club”)
Neil Lennon to depart Celtic
Celtic PLC confirms that first team manager, Neil Lennon, has resigned and will leave the Club with immediate effect. The Club would like to thank Neil for his outstanding contribution during his time at Celtic as manager. John Kennedy will assume the role of interim manager effective immediately.
Here are the details from the Celtic FC website…
Celtic Football Club Statement: Neil Lennon resigns
Celtic Football Club today announced that Neil Lennon has resigned from his position as football manager with immediate effect.
Neil has served the club with distinction as both player and manager, delivering numerous successes, most recently completing the Domestic Treble in December. In his second period as Celtic manager, he has achieved five trophy successes, to add to his three League titles and two Scottish Cup victories in his first period as manager.
Current assistant manager, John Kennedy, will take interim charge of the team.
Neil Lennon said: “We have experienced a difficult season due to so many factors and, of course, it is very frustrating and disappointing that we have not been able to hit the same heights as we did previously.
“I have worked as hard as ever to try and turn things around, but unfortunately we have not managed to get the kind of run going that we have needed.
“I have always given my best to the Club and have been proud to deliver silverware to the Celtic supporters. The Club will always be part of me. I will always be a Celtic supporter myself and I will always want the best for Celtic.
“I would like to thank so many people at the Club who have given me so much and I would also like to thank my family for their love and support. I wish the Celtic supporters, players, staff and directors nothing but success for the future.”
Celtic Chief Executive Peter Lawwell added: “I would like to pay tribute to Neil for all he has done for the Club in his second spell, delivering our eighth and ninth successive league titles, the Quadruple Treble and winning the last five available domestic trophies.
“Neil has always been and will always be a true Celtic man and someone I will always hold in the highest regard.
“I have watched Neil fight many battles over many years, on and off the field, with a courage and tenacity few could match. Even this season, he has fought so hard and worked tirelessly to turn things around.
“While this season has not progressed as we would have liked, it cannot diminish the character or integrity of a man who has given the Club so much.
“Personally, it is a sad day for me to see Neil leave the Club. Neil is a man of quality and decency, he is someone who will always be part of the fabric of Celtic and someone who will always be welcomed at Celtic Park.
“On behalf of everyone at the club, and personally, I would like to thank Neil for his work as our manager and I wish him and his family good health and continued success in everything they do.”
Celtic’s principal shareholder Dermot Desmond commented: “Neil is a Celtic legend both as a player and manager. He has given so much to the Club, and with his success over the last number of years – including winning a Treble in his own right – he will be very difficult to replace.
“We thank Neil sincerely for all he has done for the club and we wish him every success going forward.”
Celtic Football Club today announced that Neil Lennon has resigned from his position as Football Manager with immediate effect.
We thank Neil sincerely for all he has done for the club and we wish him every success going forward.
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) February 24, 2021
Celtics chance to hire one of the games best young managers…… Eddie Howe. As an English based Celtic fan, think he would be a shrewd move. He’s ambitious. Good man manager and loyal. Stayed to long with Bournemouth. They lacked ambition and are now paying the price. But he stayed with them even though he was not fully backed.
Go on Dermot Desmond, who know’s, but he might be the one.
The wording of Lennons statement has a strong hint of relief to it and I’m sure he will be a much happier man now that he has been relieved of his duties which he and everyone else knows should have happened a long time ago…the board have a lot to answer for.