Celtic clinched their fifth consecutive Scottish Premiership title with a 3-1 comeback victory on the final day of the season. The win gave way to chaos as a pitch invasion forced the Hearts squad to flee the stadium. Hearts entered Celtic Park needing only a draw to secure their first league title in 66 years. They had led the table for 250 days. Instead, Celtic leveled the match with a stoppage-time penalty. Daizen Maeda and Callum Osmand then scored to seal the win, with Osmand shooting into an empty net. Supporters stormed the pitch while players were still on the grass.
Hearts released a blistering official statement shortly after returning safely to Tynecastle. Club chair Ann Budge and supporters met the squad, who faced a “menacing and threatening atmosphere” during their forced exit. The club condemned the post-match events as “shameful scenes” that embarrassed Scottish football. Visuals from the aftermath showed the immediate physical and emotional toll on the Hearts roster. Centre-half Frankie Kent was seen in tears. Midfielder Cammy Devlin appeared in shock, and head coach Derek McInnes had to console striker Pierre Landry Kabore as they attempted to clear the field.
The severity of the crowd’s actions drew immediate scrutiny toward Celtic Park’s safety protocols. Former Hearts defender Allan Preston broadcasted his outrage on BBC Sportsound, accusing Celtic fans of bullying Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland during the chaos. Preston criticized stadium security for reacting too slowly to the breach. Sky Sports was also forced to issue an on-air apology after microphones picked up explicit language from Celtic’s Alistair Johnston amid the celebration.
Hearts are now pushing for severe regulatory consequences over the security breakdown. Citing verbal and physical abuse directed at their players and staff, the club formally demanded authorities take the strongest possible action against those responsible for failing to secure the pitch. The governing bodies have not yet issued a ruling on the club’s demands.