Scottish FA Urged to Deduct Points from Celtic After Pitch Invasion
Celtic could face a points deduction after their supporters swarmed the pitch during Saturday’s match against Hearts. According to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee Keith Hackett, previous disciplinary actions have done very little to deter this kind of fan behavior.
Similar chaotic scenes occurred back in March following the Hoops’ Scottish Cup final victory over Rangers. Although the club was warned about future conduct at the time, supporters again let their emotions take over.
The chaos erupted at Celtic Park after Daizen Maeda appeared to score a late winner in the 87th minute, followed by Callum Osmand adding a third goal to seal the game and leave Hearts heartbroken.
Football Insider Interview: Calls for Hardline Sanctions
In an exclusive interview with Football Insider, Hackett insisted that football authorities must step in to protect participants.
“The Scottish FA will have to look seriously at what action they need to take to prevent fans’ incursions onto the field of play,” Hackett stated. “They should consult with the club in an attempt to prevent fans from getting onto the pitch. This may be achieved by increasing the number of security personnel surrounding the perimeter of the field.”
Hackett noted that standard fines are no longer working and suggested that the Scottish FA is likely looking at two major options:
- Empty Stadiums: Ordering upcoming matches to be played behind closed doors.
- Points Deduction: Implementing the ultimate sporting sanction to force a change in fan behavior.
He emphasized that authorities cannot afford to ignore the incident because the safety of both players and match officials was put at serious risk.Referee Commended for Early Full-Time Whistle
The match concluded in confusion, with many inside the stadium unsure if referee Don Robertson had officially blown the final whistle to crown Celtic champions. Hackett admitted the ending was baffling but strongly defended Robertson’s handling of the situation.
The referee had few options after Celtic scored into an open net. Hearts’ goalkeeper had moved deep into the opposition penalty box in a desperate attempt to find a late equalizer, leaving his own goal completely unguarded.
When the goal went in, home fans flooded the pitch from all sides of the stadium. Hackett pointed out that while Robertson likely wanted to restart the game at the halfway line before blowing the final whistle, the chaotic environment made that impossible. The Scottish FA match delegates were in attendance and will now dictate the next course of action.