Celtic 3-1 Hearts: Visitors say players, staff suffer 'serious physical and verbal abuse' after 'disgraceful' Celtic Park pitch invasion
Celtic beat Hearts 3-1 on the final day of the campaign; Hearts had led the league for 250 days, but finished second, two points behind the champions; crestfallen Hearts players were confronted by Celtic fans at full-time; Hearts team bus left Parkhead with players still in their kits
Saturday 16 May 2026 20:34, UK
Hearts say their players and staff have reported "serious physical and verbal abuse" following the "shameful", "unacceptable" and "disgraceful" pitch invasion at Celtic Park after the home side's 3-1 win.
Moments after Callum Osmand's goal wrapped up the Scottish Premiership title for Celtic, a number of home fans ran on to the pitch to celebrate.
Several confronted the crestfallen Hearts players, who were ushered down the tunnel by club officials concerned for their safety.
- Celtic strike late to beat Hearts and win title on dramatic final day
- Has Scottish football's landscape changed forever despite Celtic's title win?
- From chaos to champions: How O'Neill saved Celtic's season
However, the Jambos have revealed some of their team were caught up in the scenes that they say have "embarrassed Scottish football".
Hearts added that due to the "menacing and threatening atmosphere inside the stadium," they had to leave, still in their match kits, within 20 minutes of the full-time whistle. Meanwhile, inside, the Celtic players and vast majority of supporters were waiting for the trophy lift.
The club added that they are in contact with Police Scotland, and "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".
In a statement, the Tynecastle Park club added that "the safety of our staff was our prime focus during these unacceptable scenes", meaning they were not able to take part in post-match media duties, nor thank the 752 away fans inside Parkhead.
Sky Sports News have contacted the SPFL, Police Scotland and Celtic for comment.
Hearts statement in full
Heart of Midlothian utterly condemns the shameful scenes at Celtic Park this afternoon which have, once again, embarrassed Scottish football.
Reports of serious physical and verbal abuse towards our players and staff, both on the pitch and elsewhere, are deeply disturbing. We are investigating this fully and are in dialogue with Police Scotland.
We will make no further comment at this time other than to say that it is completely unacceptable that our players and staff were put in that situation.
Given the menacing and threatening atmosphere inside the stadium, our entire staff had no alternative but to leave immediately, without undertaking post-match media duties. To our media partners, we apologise but the safety of our staff was our prime focus during these unacceptable scenes.
- Scottish Premiership games coming up live on Sky Sports
- Got Sky? Watch now on the Sky Sports app 📱
- Not got Sky? Get instant access with no contract 📺
The pitch invasion caused a chaotic end and nobody seemed to know whether or not the match had been brought to a finish. Our players were then denied the opportunity to thank our magnificent fans - sensational to a person - 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.
This season has seen Hearts capture the imagination of football fans, not only in Scotland, but the world over. We pay tribute to Derek McInnes, his staff, the first team and the supporters, who have done the club proud this season. None of them deserved the disgraceful scenes that unfolded.
McFadden and Sutton hit out at full-time scenes
Former Scotland striker James McFadden said on Sky Sports: "This is unacceptable. The players should be safe on the football pitch. You do not want to see it. There will always be people spoiling it for everyone else.
"You can hear the reaction from the majority of the Celtic fans in here with the fans on the pitch, the booing.
"You don't want to see it. It's a game of football, you have got two teams that have earned the right to go toe-to-toe on a day like this, and the winner emerges with the trophy. Hearts have played their part by a huge stretch, and you don't want to see overspill of fans.
"I understand the emotion of the occasion; you have a right to celebrate but you can't cross the line. If that is right that Hearts players have been assaulted, that is absolutely unacceptable."
Sky Sports' Chris Sutton added: "There's no place for it. You can imagine how the Hearts players felt after such a long season and then losing at the end."
O'Neill: Officials need to look at it
When asked about the scenes after the game, Celtic boss Martin O'Neill said: "If some Hearts players have been accosted, then that's just not right at all.
"I genuinely didn't see the scenes at the end because I thought the game wasn't over, so I'm trying to push some of our fans off the pitch again to play whatever's left.
"Obviously, at 3-1, I think that the fourth official had said to me, there was like a minute to go when we scored the goal, so with the best will in the world, they're not going to get two goals in that time.
"Obviously, there's a lot of commotion in the tunnel, so I don't know, but getting back to the point, if Hearts players have been accosted by some of our fans, that's pretty serious. Honestly, I'm not pushing it to the side, it'll be something that the officials or people will have to look at."
