Dom McKay gave Celtic supporters a brief glimpse of what’s possible

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The Celtic Star

·25 Agustus 2025

Dom McKay gave Celtic supporters a brief glimpse of what’s possible

Dom McKay was everything Peter Lawwell and Michael Nicholson appear not to be. Forward thinking, ambitious, open to fan engagement and wanting to create a very modern version of Celtic. No wonder he didn’t last long!

Ange Postecoglou and Dom McKay. Photo: Jeff Holmes

Four years ago signalled the dawn of a new era at Celtic football club as Ange Postecoglou was hired to take the reins and bring back the glory days after a disastrous campaign under Neil Lennon saw the Celtic support experience the strange feeling of ending a campaign empty handed.

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Ange Postecoglou wasn’t the only new face at Celtic Park as the man who welcomed the Australian to the club Dom McKay was installed as the new CEO as Dermot Desmond decided to clear the decks and bring in a bit of much needed freshness to the club.

Dominic McKay was seen as an ideal replacement for Peter Lawwell as Celtic CEO

Dominic McKay was an experienced figure, but mainly in the oval ball shaped game of rugby where he had extensive experience as his good work with the SRU told.

Dom was an ideal replacement for Peter Lawwell and 99% of the support applauded the move, as McKay was everything Lawwell wasn’t. Young, ambitious and with airs of self preservation about him. The best bonuses were always paid in the Celtic boardroom and perhaps Dom McKay’s intention to spend extensively on backing the manager and building the club threatened that?

Ange Postecoglou and Dominic McKay Unveiling – Celtic Park Celtic new manager Ange Postecoglou poses for a photo at Celtic Park Glasgow. Picture date: Friday June 25, 2021. Photo: Jeff Holmes

Dom quickly got to work after a quick period shadowing his outgoing predecessor, and it was clear he was very much his own man after a serious of face-to-face interviews where it was evident he wanted a better connection with Celtic supporters.

Dom had to deal with a lot quickly such as the Eddie Howe situation, which seen the Englishman’s move to replace Neil Lennon collapse at the latter stages, but Dom rallied and helped bring on board Ange Postecoglou, despite some negativity surrounding his arrival as the next Celtic manager.

Kyogo, Joe Hart, Carl Starfelt, Liel Abada, CCV, Jota, Josip Juranovic, and Georgios Giakoumakis were all signed during McKay’s brief time as Celtic CEO

Ange needed new blood, and Dom helped him by sanctioning moves for Kyogo, Joe Hart, Carl Starfelt, Liel Abada, CCV, Jota, Josip Juranovic, and Georgios Giakoumakis in what can be only be described as one of our most exciting transfer windows in recent years.

Dominic McKay in the directors box. Photo Andrew Milligan

However Dom McKay stunned the Celtic support by resigning from his post citing personal reasons just eight weeks into his new role, and just a week after the closure of a very successful transfer window.

Dom was replaced by the more secretive and toe the line figure in Micheal Nicholson who was promoted from within having worked as the Company Secretary at Celtic for many years. Ange turned out to be a decent manager. The fans loved him. The crisis was over. The new broom CEO left and the old board reverted to previous ways.

Can that just be a coincidence? You’d be naive to that it was.

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