{"id":964733,"date":"2026-05-16T17:17:14","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T17:17:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/964733\/"},"modified":"2026-05-16T17:17:14","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T17:17:14","slug":"hearts-return-to-edinburgh-after-unsavoury-end-to-their-title-quest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/964733\/","title":{"rendered":"Hearts return to Edinburgh after unsavoury end to their title quest"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hearts made a hasty exit from Celtic Park after their William Hill Premiership dream ended in acrimonious fashion, with some of their players appearing to have been hurt as Celtic supporters spilled on to the pitch.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Immediately after Callum Osmand made it 3-1 deep into stoppage time of their title decider, thousands ran on to the playing surface to celebrate even though the full-time whistle had not been heard.<\/p>\n

Several confronted the crestfallen Hearts players, who were ushered down the tunnel by club officials concerned for their safety, and the match \u2013 approaching the end of the indicated eight minutes of added time \u2013 did not restart.<\/p>\n

With Celtic\u2019s players and supporters still inside the ground waiting to lift the trophy, the Hearts team bus left Parkhead with players still in their match kits within 20 minutes of the full-time whistle and did not carry out their post-match media duties.<\/p>\n

The Tynecastle side are expected to issue a statement in due course.<\/p>\n

Celtic boss Martin O\u2019Neill said: \u201cIf some Hearts players have been accosted, then that\u2019s just not right at all.<\/p>\n

\u201cI genuinely didn\u2019t see the scenes at the end because I thought the game wasn\u2019t over, so I\u2019m trying to push some of our fans off the pitch again to play whatever\u2019s left.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously, 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\u2019re not going to get two goals in that time.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously, there\u2019s a lot of commotion in the tunnel, so I don\u2019t know, but getting back to the point, if Hearts players have been accosted by some of our fans, that\u2019s pretty serious. Honestly, I\u2019m not pushing it to the side, it\u2019ll be something that the officials or people will have to look at.\u201d<\/p>\n

An SPFL spokesperson said: \u201cIt is understood the SPFL were informed by match officials post match that the final whistle had been blown as normal.\u201d<\/p>\n

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