Hearts return to Edinburgh after unsavoury end to their title quest

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.

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.

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

With Celtic’s 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.

The Tynecastle side are expected to issue a statement in due course.

Celtic boss Martin O’Neill said: “If some Hearts players have been accosted, then that’s just not right at all.

“I genuinely didn’t see the scenes at the end because I thought the game wasn’t over, so I’m trying to push some of our fans off the pitch again to play whatever’s left.

“Obviously, 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’re not going to get two goals in that time.

“Obviously, there’s a lot of commotion in the tunnel, so I don’t know, but getting back to the point, if Hearts players have been accosted by some of our fans, that’s pretty serious. Honestly, I’m not pushing it to the side, it’ll be something that the officials or people will have to look at.”

An SPFL spokesperson said: “It is understood the SPFL were informed by match officials post match that the final whistle had been blown as normal.”