An ugly conclusion to the Scottish Premiership title race has prompted Heart of Midlothian to contact Police Scotland. The Edinburgh club released a scathing statement condemning the “shameful” and “disgraceful” treatment of their players and staff at Celtic Park, where Celtic secured their fifth consecutive league title.
The trouble flared following Callum Osmand’s goal, which put Celtic 3-1 ahead. The strike triggered a massive pitch invasion, leaving Hearts players confronted and harassed by a section of the home crowd, even as those remaining in the stands booed the invaders.
Safety concerns forced the Hearts squad to abandon the pitch before stoppage time could be completed, meaning the match never officially restarted. Escorted by police, the team immediately traveled back to Tynecastle Park.
Hearts Slam “Menacing” Atmosphere
In an official statement released nearly five hours after the final whistle, Hearts expressed deep disturbance over reports of physical and verbal abuse.
“Heart of Midlothian utterly condemns the shameful scenes at Celtic Park this afternoon which have, once again, embarrassed Scottish football,” the club stated.
The club apologized to media partners for skipping post-match press obligations, explaining that the hostile environment left them with no choice but to secure the immediate evacuation of their staff. They also noted that the chaotic ending left everyone confused as to whether the referee had actually blown the final whistle.
The statement concluded with a demand for accountability:
“Our players were denied the opportunity to thank our magnificent fans for their backing this afternoon and all season long. We expect the strongest action possible to be taken by the footballing authorities in the interests of protecting the safety of players and supporters, and the integrity of our game.”Managers React to the Fallout
While Hearts expressed outrage, Celtic and the Scottish Professional Football League remained silent for hours following the incident. Celtic captain Callum McGregor largely downplayed the invasion, while manager Martin O’Neill claimed he was initially unaware that opposition players had been targeted.
O’Neill explained that the fourth official indicated one minute of play remained, but he assumed the game was over when Hearts manager Derek McInnes shook his hand.
“I’m not pleading the fifth amendment,” O’Neill remarked regarding the allegations. “I don’t know at the end of the day but if some Hearts players have been accosted then it’s just not right at all. I thought the game wasn’t over so I was trying to push some of our fans off the pitch. There was a lot of commotion in the tunnel.”A Bitter End to a Historic Run
The hostile end to the match stood in stark contrast to the reception Hearts received upon returning to Edinburgh. Fans gathered to praise a squad that came incredibly close to winning their first league trophy since 1960, a remarkable feat in a league dominated exclusively by Celtic and Rangers since 1985.
Hearts management emphasized that Derek McInnes, his staff, and the players had captivated football fans worldwide this season, adding that none of them deserved to have their historic campaign marred by such volatile behavior.