Celtic chief executive Michael Nicholson replaces Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson on SPFL board

Celtic chief executive Michael Nicholson has been appointed to the SPFL board as a replacement for outgoing Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson.

The 42 Scottish Professional Football League member clubs elected seven lead representatitves for the forthcoming season at today’s Annual General Meeting.

The SPFL Board includes three cinch Premiership representatives, two from the cinch Championship and two covering cinch League One and League Two, one as an alternate director.

Nicholson will join Ron Gordon and James McDonald on the board for the 2022/23 season, alongside SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster, chairman Murdoch MacLennan and independent non-executive director Karyn McCluskey.

The 45-year-old has been a key figure behind the scenes at Parkhead since 2013, initially arriving as company secretary and head of legal, before being promoted to the role of director of legal and football affairs two years ago.

He was initially appointed as chief executive on an interim basis following the short-lived tenure of former Scottish Rugby boss Dominic McKay last summer.

It was Peter Lawwell who first brought Nicholson to Celtic and since taking on his current role he has been praised by first-team manager Ange Postecoglou for his hands-on involvement in the club’s recruitment drive last season.

2022/23 SPFL board appointments in full:

cinch Premiership - Michael Nicholson (Celtic), Ron Gordon (Hibernian) and James McDonald (Ross County).

cinch Championship - Les Gray (Hamilton Academical) and Graeme Mathie (Ayr United).

cinch League 1 and League 2 - Alastair Donald (Forfar Athletic), Alternate director - Paul Hetherington (Airdrieonians)