As the boardroom dysfunction continues unabated at Celtic, rival Rangers has just one message:
“Hold my pint.”
Really, it’s hard to imagine things getting any worse than an abandoned AGM lasting less than 10 minutes, but here we are.
The Full Scottish
Served by Brian P. Dunleavy
Just days after Celtic’s ongoing internal battles reached new lows, ’Gers upped the ante with the handpicked hierarchy of new majority shareholders 49ers Group—Patrick Stewart and Kevin Thelwell—abruptly leaving the club Monday morning.
Both had come under heavy criticism from supporters groups in recent weeks, particularly after the end of the disastrously short reign of manager Russell Martin. Sadly, some of that criticism had devolved into personal attacks and direct confrontation.
“Rangers Football Club confirms it has parted company with CEO Patrick Stewart and Sporting Director Kevin Thelwell,” the Ibrox side said in a statement.
For those counting, the number of words in that statement nearly trebles the amount of time both men were in charge in Govan.
And now, yet another new regime will be taking charge, change that may only undo the work new manager Danny Röhl has done to stabilize the men’s first team after what was an epically awful start to the 2025-26 campaign.
Seriously, what is going on here? Celtic and Rangers, by far Scotland’s biggest clubs, obviously, are both in turmoil. This despite the fact the two Glasgow giants have had a lock on the top-flight title since the mid-1980s.
The term “Old Firm” is considered passé by some, and at this point, it’s certainly inaccurate. “Old Unfirm,” perhaps? It would seem to be as good a time as any for another Scottish club—Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen—to seize the moment.
And yet, Hearts’ lead at the top of the Premiership table has shrunk to four points (with Celtic holding a match in hand on the league leaders), while Hibs sit even with ’Gers. Aberdeen is currently languishing in eighth.
To paraphrase the great Jimmy Breslin, “Can’t anybody here win this league?”