Hearts have written to the Scottish FA and SPFL questioning the “troubling precedent” set by the “early end” to last Saturday’s Scottish Premiership title decider at Celtic Park.
The Jambos went into the final day of the season one point ahead of the Hoops, but Callum Osmand’s late goal saw many home fans rush onto the pitch to celebrate.
Hearts players immediately left the pitch in their kits due to what the Tynecastle club said was an “intimidating and intimidating atmosphere inside the stadium”.
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Highlights from the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Hearts, with the hosts crowned champions.
Celtic apologized to Hearts for the incident and added: “We will co-operate fully with any investigation.”
However, Edinburgh have issued a new statement, sparking concerns about the season finale.
As previously mentioned, the club is investigating the incident before, during and after the match and will provide its full support to Police Scotland as their investigation continues.
“We have also written to the SFA and SPFL setting out our observations and questions about the circumstances surrounding the early termination of the match and expressing our concerns that a troubling precedent has been created where pitch invasions can effectively determine the time of a football match rather than a match official.
“We requested a prompt response to the issues we raised.
“The intrusion of spectators into the stadium must not be tolerated under any circumstances and the seriousness of the potential consequences must be fully understood by both supporters and the club.
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Martin O’Neill admits he thought his trophy-lifting days at Celtic Park were behind him.
Hearts also came under heavy criticism for Martin O’Neill’s comments on Monday when he refused to condemn the scene after Osmand’s goal.
The Tynecastle Park club said players and staff reported “serious physical and verbal abuse” during and after the scene, which it described as “unacceptable” and “disgraceful”.
But O’Neill talk sports Asked whether the footage tarnished the game’s image, he said: “Sorry, I completely disagree with that opinion. I don’t know much about the confrontation between the Hearts players and there’s a lot of exaggeration about it. Let’s get the real picture.”
Hearts added that the aftermath of the third goal had “embarrassed Scottish football”. But O’Neill said: “Well, I don’t believe it. I just don’t believe it. I think it makes no sense,” adding: “It’s a home game and we’ve just won the league and the fans are in the stadium, right? OK, so should they just stay put?”
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The moment Callum Osmand sealed the title for Celtic against Hearts
In response to these comments, Hearts added in a recent statement: “The intrusion of spectators into the stadium must not be tolerated under any circumstances and the seriousness of the potential consequences must be fully understood by both supporters and the club.
“We are aware of the highly irresponsible comments made public this week, which appear to be aimed at defending those who entered the stadium on Saturday and undermining the seriousness of the situation. These comments carry dangerous implications and we urge football authorities to ensure that this matter is addressed with the seriousness it requires and with the full cooperation of all involved.”
Could trespassing at a stadium be considered a crime?
Sky Sports News We understand the SPFL is planning discussions with the Scottish Government about criminalizing stadium trespassing, as has been the case in England and Wales since 1991. They also want to discuss tailgating becoming a criminal offense, which has recently emerged in the UK.
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney said the move would only be considered in parallel with the consultation on football banning order reform, which ended before the election.
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Police Scotland Assistant Commissioner Mark Sutherland condemned the chaos in Glasgow as supporters celebrated Celtic’s Scottish Premiership win, which left several people arrested and a police officer injured.
He said: “The Government will work with football clubs, football authorities and local authorities to take whatever steps we can to prevent this from happening. “If there are any further legislative measures that need to be considered to address these issues, we will do so.”
Sweeney, who criticized fans who threw missiles at police during celebrations in Glasgow city centre, added: “We have work to do, working with football clubs, the SPFL and city councils, to prevent situations like this from happening again and I am committed to the Government being involved in that process.
“But fundamentally, the core of this problem is the unacceptable behavior of a minority of fans, and this must be addressed.”
