Opinion: Bankier should Resign, we need a new Brian Quinn, John Reid – or a Saint Fergus

The Celtic Chairman should resign immediately – he has overseen a complete shambles – any comparative private company of Celtic’s size and turnover would have been onto him and his board. Our assets value has tumbled, we have allowed our main competitors to sweep ahead in our market, we have removed ourselves out of our most lucrative markets (in Europe) by under investment and poor forward planning – and alienated the customer base. Can you see that happening at Amazon – or even Poundland?

Imagine you are Chairman of a WH Smith or Boots or similar. You know that despite year round trading it is Christmas that is the key time for sales. But, using the same leaders and managers that have been there 10 years or more, you wait until November to go out and buy the stock you need for that key period – suddenly there is none to be had – because your competitors had thought about it in June.

So you then have to dash around in a panic trying to source books, DVDs , gift sets, Christmas decorations, calendars etc. You have to go abroad and buy lower quality products from dodgy suppliers. It’s not what the customer wants and, as a result, sales fall while at The Works and Superdrug they suddenly surge. From being a clear market leader you have crumbled. How would the shareholders view that shambles?

This equates to this year – and it seems every year – as we get to 4 weeks from the European qualifiers with a new manager (or none), players leaving and others needing to be sourced and integrated. Aberdeen, theRangers, Hibs and others are already adding players or getting transfers done.

This is all on Mr Bankier’s watch – and a number of his fellow board members are sadly long past being bold, efficient and forward thinking . If Dermot Desmond turned up more often at Celtic Park he’d see that. We need a new Brian Quinn, John Reid – or a Saint Fergus. And now.

Martin Leadbetter