Celtic CEO Michael Nicholson told shareholders at the Celtic PLC AGM at Celtic Park this afternoon that the club has no imminent plans to re-develop the South Stand to increase the stadium’s capacity.
In the Q&A session at the end of the usual AGM formalities, which this year progressed without the turmoil witnessed at previous AGMs, a Celtic shareholder asked if the Board were looking at a redevelopment of the Main stand to increase the capacity at Celtic Park beyond the current level of 60,000.
In the short to medium term the answer, sadly, is no but in the longer term the Celtic CEO confirmed that the Board are looking at this for the longer term. “The South Stand is a historic asset and previous feasibility studies suggest more than £100m to expand it – there is limited capital to invest and we need to invest on the pitch. Long term we’d like to look at it but not at moment.”
There is no doubt that since Fergus McCann had the vision to build the current Celtic Park with the three new stands sitting alongside the South Stand, the only one to remain in situ after the redevelopment on the mid 1990s, Celtic have gone on to dominate the Scottish game. Increasing the capacity at Celtic Park to 80,000 would certainly take Paradise to another level.
Can you imagine a Champions League night with an extra 20,000 Celtic fans inside the stadium? And remember the strategic advantage across those across the city would increase substantially and they aren’t in a position to increase their own capacity at Ibrox.
Here are the videos that Celtic released ahead of the AGM…
Today I listened, at the club’s AGM, to a very interesting and intelligent response by Ange to all of the noise around Celtic’s performance in the Champions League. No cliches or tropes or sound bites. Just innovative and positive coaching philosophy patiently explained.
His point is that to make players better, you have to actively expose them to the standards to which you aspire. To go there with 10 men behind the ball and hang on – and maybe snatch a draw or two – just teaches you about survival and does nothing to advance the experience and potential of the players. How can they measure their progress or contribution in future games if they haven’t seen first-hand what the top players can actually do.
If you are faithful to a style of play and commit to that then, having personally just been through it, players can be driven daily to try and reach towards the Champion League standards they have now personally witnessed. In other words, aim for a higher standard and have a model to measure against. He admitted that he is looking at why chances that our player stuck away at home seem to be beyond them when the stakes are higher and recognises that the occasion is a real factor. These guys were playing in the A league, or League One or for Lorient, Motherwell and Kilmarnock in recent years. Now they have experienced what ECL is all about and can see what they need to improve – not just to be better players but Champions League players.
My view ? First class thinking and as ever very clearly explained. Celtic are terrific to watch and are very successful too. There is no room for that sad mantra “its results that count – not the performance” we hear so often from stereotypical managers, which is strangling the game – particularly in Scotland. . Celtic’s approach gives you games like the recent one at Tynecastle that so many people enjoyed watching live and on TV – a great advert for the game here for once.
I hope Ange stays for a long time, continues the entertainment – for all – and gets the success and vindication his methods deserve.
As for the AGM it flew by for once and the Q & A was for once the main event – lots of good questions and points made. No sign of Dermot as usual but very impressed with Michael Nicholson and of course Ange – a lovely personal touch when a questioner addressed him as Mr Postecoglou – he replied ” Mr Postecoglou was my father. Call me Ange” Also saw inside the new Sports Bar which is a lovely addition.
Club is in great hands on and off the pitch. Hail Hail !!
Brilliant post, Martin, thanks. I’ll run that as an article so that it gains a wider audience. HH.
Thought your costings of the south stand was a bit of scare mongering and negative. As stated we want to become a regular champion league side and play with the so called big boys and obviously the team and players do come first as they’ve got to get us there but we have to increase our capacity and in doing so would increase our revenue and our stance in world football. You saw the Bernabeau then there’s the Alliance, the Camp neu and a few others they have the players and the stadia of what big clubs should have. With an upgrade we should then be chasing other opportunities to fill it with concerts and such.