Club legend John Robertson has called on the Hearts faithful to remain united behind manager Derek McInnes, following a devastating conclusion to the Scottish Premiership season at Parkhead.
The Jambos arrived in Glasgow knowing that a single point would secure them the league championship. However, their title aspirations slipped away in a 3-1 defeat to Celtic. Arne Engels opened the scoring for the hosts from the penalty spot, before late goals from Daizen Maeda and Callum Osmand sealed the victory for Celtic.
Robertson, who was analyzing the match pitchside for Sky Sports alongside James McFadden, Scott Brown, and Chris Sutton, admitted the result was a bitter pill to swallow, but he insisted the future remains bright in Edinburgh.
Robertson: “This Is Only the Beginning”
Reflecting on the emotional fallout of the title decider, Robertson expressed immense pride in how far the squad has progressed in McInnes’ debut season.
“They will be devastated and heartbroken,” Robertson told Sky Sports. “It is incredibly tough to take, especially as a fan watching from the sidelines when you cannot affect the game. But this group of players and the management team have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. They have given us everything and more. While today is filled with disappointment, it is crucial to remember that this is just the start. This club is only going to get stronger.”
Pundits Condemn Post-Match Pitch Invasion
The dramatic conclusion to the season was marred by chaotic scenes at full-time, as a section of the home support stormed the Celtic Park pitch. Reports later emerged that Police Scotland are investigating allegations of assault against Hearts players as they attempted to navigate the crowd to reach their team bus.
Fellow pundits James McFadden and Chris Sutton were quick to condemn the security breach.
- James McFadden expressed his anger over the safety failures: “Spilling onto the pitch in celebration is one thing, but threatening the safety of the players is completely unacceptable. Lawrence Shankland had to be surrounded by his own teammates for protection. A player should always be safe on a football pitch.”
- Chris Sutton echoed those safety concerns: “There is absolutely no place for that behavior. You can only imagine how the Hearts players felt after losing the title in that manner, and the fans who confronted them were fortunate they did not provoke a stronger physical reaction.”