Lawwell gets Robertson’s seat on board

The Old Firm have resumed their rotational role at the top table of Scottish football administration, with Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson being replaced by Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell on the board of the Scottish Professional Football League, writes Stephen Halliday.

Robertson did not put himself forward as a candidate for re-election to the board at yesterday’s annual general meeting of the SPFL at Hampden where Lawwell returned as one of the Premiership’s three

representatives following a one-year absence.

The unwritten reciprocal arrangement between Celtic and Rangers of a shared place in the hierarchy stretches back to the formation of the Scottish Premier League back in 1998. On an annual or biennial basis, a place on the SPL board was taken by a director or chief executive of either Celtic or Rangers.

The agreement went into abeyance following Rangers’ financial collapse and drop to the fourth tier in 2012 but its return was signalled 12 months ago when Lawwell did not stand for re-election and was replaced by Robertson.

The trade-off between the clubs is expected to continue next month with Robertson replacing Lawwell as an SPFL representative on the Scottish FA’S influential Professional Game Board.

At yesterday’s agm, Hearts owner Ann Budge and Hamilton chairman Les Gray failed in their attempts to win re-election to the SPFL board. They were replaced by Motherwell chief executive Alan Burrows and Dundee managing director John Nelms.

There were no changes to the lower division representatives with Morton chief executive Warren Hawke and Falkirk director Martin Ritchie re-elected from the Championship, while Stranraer chairman Iain Dougan will continue to represent League 1 and 2 clubs. Murdoch Maclennan continues as chairman of the SPFL in the aftermath of recent calls for his suspension or resignation from Rangers chairman Dave King.

The SPFL has consistently rejected King’s suggestion of a potential conflict of interest deriving from Maclennan’s position as non-executive chairman of Irish media firm INM which is partly owned by Celtic shareholders Dermot Desmond and Denis O’brien. The issue was not on the agenda at the agm and was not raised during any other business. New board member Burrows said “I’m sure we’ll get it sorted” when he was asked about the issue, while outgoing board member Gray believes “the matter is closed”.