The tension around Celtic’s board has brought old issues back into focus, including how power struggles at the club have played out before. One figure that continues to be mentioned is Dominic McKay, whose brief time as chief executive in 2021 is now being looked at.
That summer window moved at pace. Fees were agreed early. Players came in without the long delays fans had grown used to. Many still see it as one of the best windows in years because it reset the team quickly.
By September, McKay was gone. At the time, his departure was explained as a personal decision. There was no public row and no clear fallout. It just ended suddenly, leaving supporters confused. Since then, rumours have followed about a deeper issue behind the scenes, though nothing was ever openly confirmed.
Journalist Stephen McGowan has now offered a hint at how that period might have unravelled inside the club. His comments suggest McKay’s way of working, especially around independence and speed, may not have matched how Celtic prefer to operate. The issue is not about blame. It is about who holds control.
McGowan’s take places McKay’s exit as part of a bigger pattern rather than a one-off. It points to how power works at Celtic, and why changes at the top often fail to change the end result.
He said: (TCW), “Supporters have the right to stand outside the South Stand and chant ‘Sack the Board’ till they are hoarse.
“They can see the chairman Peter Lawwell off the premises, tell Wilfried Nancy where to go, raise banners demanding the removal of chief executive Michael Nicholson and start watching games from the comfort of their front room if they see fit.
“So long as Dermot Desmond is calling all the shots, the chances are that it won’t make much difference at all.
“Dominic McKay learned that the CEO who ploughs his own path won’t be around Parkhead long enough to make any impact at all.”
McGowan’s argument is about how the club is set up, not about individuals. People in charge can come and go. Job titles change. The boundaries stay the same.
For fans who look back on the 2021 rebuild with affection, it helps explain why it felt different.
That window worked because decisions were quick and freedom existed. It stopped when that balance changed.
Nothing McGowan says points the finger or lays blame. It just outlines how Celtic operates. And why, after all this time, the same doubts keep coming back.
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