Timing of Rangers digs at Celtic AGM are suspect but I'm grateful to Peter Lawwell for one thing – Hugh Keevins

I am grateful to Celtic chairman Peter Lawwell for re-energising the radio phone-in business.

International football isn’t to everyone’s liking, particularly in the West of Scotland, and the last couple of weeks have left those who are disinterested in Steve Clarke’s side looking for a return of what they crave above all else. The toxicity of the relationship between Celtic and Rangers and the opportunity to once again dive into the poisonous nature of it all.

You might have thought stand-up comedy would be difficult while sitting down but Peter pulled it off from the top table at Celtic’s annual general meeting on Wednesday. None of what happened there came as any surprise to me at all. I wrote here last Sunday that the shareholders’ gathering was “essential entertainment”. But when I added that the microphone was like a “loaded weapon for irascible shareholders having their uncensored say”, I didn’t actually have the chairman in mind.

There’s playing to the gallery then there’s compromising the dignity of your position. And I think Peter’s jibe about Rangers having last had a penalty kick awarded against them when John Greig handled the ball fell into both categories at the same time.

That type of comment is, to my way of thinking, for the boozer and not the boardroom. I have no problem with board members on salaries ranging from £550,000 per year, in the case of chief financial officer Chris McKay, to the £700,000 plus that is paid per annum to Celtic’s CEO Michael Nicholson.

The club’s annual turnover and exotic level of profitability show the richly rewarded are more than earning their corn. But with that level of remuneration should come a way of conducting the club’s business and Nicholson’s additional dig about