GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MAY 16: Celtic Manager Martin O'Neill and fans celebrate wining the William Hill Premiership Title during a William Hill Premiership match between Celtic and Heart of Midlothian at Celtic Park, on May 16, 2026, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Pitches are for players, not fans. Regardless of the excitement felt when Celtic clinched the title on Saturday, supporters should have stayed off the park.
Going on the stadium turf is a selfish act; making the moment about you rather than the players and all the other fans.
Yesterday, even if supporters did choose to enter the park, common sense should have kept them away from Hearts players.
At full-time, both teams should have been able to applaud their fans, which the Edinburgh side did not get the opportunity to do.
But whilst many seek to build a bonfire for Celtic fans, let’s introduce some rationality to the discussions. None of this is just a ‘Celtic problem’.
Pitch invasions have become common everywhere, at all levels of football. Last-minute winners across the country seem to encourage some supporters to go on the pitch.
This is not new although it is definitely a growing trend. In recent times alone, Celtic, the club at Ibrox, Dundee and Kilmarnock fans have all done this.
To be frank, you’d be hard pressed to name a Premier League side whose followers have not done this at some point.
The word ‘assault’ was initially used in relation to Hearts players. There will certainly be an investigation but many of those making such claims now seem to be revising them back to abuse.
Again, even this should not have occurred. Personally, I’d ban any fan who was involved in this.
But those people who now seek to create a uniquely Celtic issue need challenged as well.
It is often tempting to focus on the actions of ‘enemies’. Football supporters are good at remembering their rivals’ transgressions whilst ignoring their own. It’s not dissimilar to refereeing mistakes.
As noted, fans going onto the turf is becoming a common occurrence. By all means talk about how to stop it – but everywhere it occurs, not just for those in green shirts.
And let’s remember that abuse and attacks can be associated with other clubs too.
The whole world watched (apparently, we are always told this when Celtic fans do anything wrong) when Neil Lennon was attacked by a fan at Tynecastle.
And different Celtic players and officials in recent times have been hit by flying objects at Ibrox.
None of this is to accuse every fan of those clubs of being responsible, because they’re obviously not.
It was the same yesterday; the majority of Celtic fans stayed in the stands. Indeed, their main action was booing those supporters who had gone on the pitch.
It’s been a remarkable footballing season for Scottish football as a whole and Celtic too. That should be today’s discussion, not yet more off-field issues. Football belongs on the back pages, not front ones.
One way to achieve that is by fans staying off the park. And that’s true for all teams, not just Celtic.
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Matthew Marr is a Celtic historian who lives in Glasgow. He is the author of one book and runs the Celtic History Tours. He posts on X at @hailhailhistory
I agree with you Matthew that it is not a Celtic problem but it needs nipped in the bud because it causes issues. I totally agree that no Hearts players were assaulted but coming on the pitch to celebrate is wrong. If the tables were turned and Hearts fans had ran on at CP and goaded our players it would not have been good. The vast majority of fans booed the pitch invasion, and quite rightly. If this happened in europe we would be looking at a possible stadium closure, or heavy sanctions at least. Remember what happened with the Rapid Vienna game where a player went down when a bottle missed him by miles…and remember the subsequent game at Old Trafford. Maybe before your time but if fans come on the pitch it only takes one or two clowns to fuck it up completely.
I agree with James that coming on the pitch should be a criminal offence and football banning orders should be put in place.
Hopefully every one has all calmed down for the cup final!
I wonder if they could consider some sort of ‘temporary’ fencing set up at say Parkhead, Liebrox and Hampden and perhaps Tynecastle as these are the grounds where this is likely to apply in deciders like this or winner takes all cup games between these clubs named above through their stadiums i.e.Celtic, Sevco and Hearts…
Also a word for Mr Mojorisin above – You did constantly state for months when Celtic were effective dead and buried that they would still win the league title – You certainly had more faith than me for sure and I hope ya had a bet on us at the lengthy odds that would have been available at the time !
Haha. Despite folk on here talking about miracles the bookies saw it different. The odds were never that good. We were favourites for the vast proportion of the season and were always short odds even when not favourites. Made enough for a good night out though. 🙂
Regarding the pitch invasions I agree. Maybe the netting arrangement they have at some of the livelier european grounds could deter that sort of behavior.
We will get away with it in Scotland but in europe we will be heavily punished!
Even when we were sitting in third spot a couple of months ago, you could only get 2/1. I should know, I stick 30 quid on it!
Any photos or video footage of these alleged assaults on the hearts players surfaced yet? Any actual documented evidence?
When has there not been a scandal when Celtic win anything or Sevco lose. Getting boring.
Criminalise the act of pitch invasion as it is in England. Charge those doing so as the deterrent. Appeals for restraint are not working with three such invasions from our supporters recently at Ibrox, Fir Park and Celtic Park. I think there would have been a fourth at Rugby Park but for our late scorer invading the stand behind the goal .
Spoils and shortens the celebrations for everyone else.
Anyone on that park goading Hearts players were totally out of order, and although Shankland’s reactions are being condemned, had it been me getting abuse under those circumstances, I would have attacked the mouthy ned that he had a go at as well. No one should have been on that Park, not one of them.
In the ongoing damages row.
“For starters, Record Sport understands the Ibrox outfit have already refused to hand over a fee of around £150,000 in ticket cash due to Parkhead bosses for last week’s final Old Firm clash of the season.”
They are accountable to no-one.
It will become a legal case I guess.
Normality is the Ibrox mob wreck our ground and we wreck theirs.
I dont get it at all? Who the fuck taught these kids that was acceptable. The bad publicity we get from the neds who do the Ibrox disaster stuff is good enough reason for me that there be no away fans. I listen to people on here saying its all fine, we just give each other £50k every game as if thats fucking normal behavior. What a fucked up idea. Weed out all the delinquent cunts on either side or just have home support. The people of Glasgow dont deserve all the bullshit, or days when they cant go into town.
Cgreen123 @ 9.06pm…
Record (Scummy) Sport are Pathological Liars…
The fact that they call The Glasgow Derby clash as The O#d F&rm clash tells you so !
I’ve never called it the old firm game. I always thought that was just a TV thing, even way back. None of my pals ever called it the old firm. I normally stood in the Celtic end sometimes in the jungle, it was all one single section at one time.
Im not sure the Glasgow Derby is a great name either, just a play on words really.