Hearts players were allegedly attacked by Celtic fans during a pitch invasion at Celtic Park after the hosts won the Scottish Premiership in dramatic fashion.
Martin O’Neill’s side beat Hearts 3-1 with two late goals to lift yet another title despite enduring a turbulent campaign, but the moment was marred by ugly scenes after Callum Osmand sealed the victory in the eighth minute of added time.
A wild pitch invasion ensued following the goal, and some fans attacked the devastated Hearts players, with captain Lawrence Shankland seen being punched and kicked in shocking scenes.
Eyewitnesses reported that Shankland tried to defend himself before he was escorted away and down the tunnel by police, with several of his team-mates also caught up in trouble.
Former Scotland international Pat Nevin expressed his disgust at the attack on Shankland on BBC Radio 5 Live as he said: ‘Totally and utterly sickening, disgraceful. A horrible scene.’
On Sky Sports’ coverage of the game, James McFadden added: ‘You don’t want to see it. It’s a game of football, you’ve got two teams who have earned the right to go toe to toe in a game like today and the winner emerges with the trophy.
Hearts players were allegedly attacked by Celtic fans during a pitch invasion at Celtic Park
Hearts skipper Lawrence Shankland had to be helped away by stewards after being attacked
‘Hearts have played their part by a huge stretch and you don’t want to see any overspill.
‘With the fans – I understand the emotion of the game and the occasion – they’ve got a right to celebrate, but you can’t cross the line.
‘And if it’s correct, that Hearts players have been assaulted, then that is absolutely unacceptable.
‘There has been so many things wrong with the game up here this season and we have to address it.’
Amid the chaotic scenes, Hearts’ players and staff were then seen making a hasty exit from the stadium, with many still in their kit as they made their way onto the team bus less than 30 minutes after the full-time whistle.
It was a sad end to what has been an incredible campaign for Derek McInnes’ men.
Hearts had been top of the league for 226 days since October as they chased their first title in 66 years, while they looked set to be the first non-Old Firm club to win the league since Aberdeen in 1985.
They had been two points clear of Celtic ahead of the final day after O’Neill’s side controversially beat Motherwell 3-2 courtesy of a VAR-assisted 99th-minute penalty on Wednesday evening.
Things began perfectly for Hearts on Saturday at a boisterous Celtic Park when Shankland nodded home from a corner for his 16th goal of the season.
The wild pitch invasion came after Celtic won the title in dramatic fashion on Saturday
Shankland earlier put Hearts ahead in the first half as they looked set to win a historic title
But Celtic responded on the stroke of half-time when Arne Engels equalised from the spot after Alexandros Kyziridis was penalised for a handball.
Daizen Maeda then had the ball in the back of the net on 87 minutes but the offside flag was up, before the goal was awarded following a review.
Osmand added the gloss on the triumph late on in injury time to spark the wild scenes inside the stadium and on the pitch.
Hearts’ players were crestfallen at full-time and their early exit from the stadium meant no-one from the club conducted any media duties.
