Hearts said their staff were forced to leave Celtic Park immediately after what the club described as a “menacing and threatening atmosphere” following the match in Glasgow. The Edinburgh side said the conditions inside the stadium left them with “no alternative” but to skip post-match media duties, adding that player and staff safety had to come first.
The club also said the scenes were “deeply disturbing” and “completely unacceptable,” while expressing concern that there was confusion over whether the match had officially finished when Celtic fans entered the pitch after the third goal. Hearts said they expected “the strongest action possible” from football authorities to protect “the integrity of our game.”
Safety concerns took priority
Hearts said the atmosphere inside Celtic Park became so intimidating that staff could not stay for the usual responsibilities after the final whistle. The club apologised to media partners but made clear that its priority was protecting people in the stadium.
The statement added that nobody on the Hearts side appeared certain whether the game had been brought to a close when the pitch was invaded. That uncertainty added to the disorder around the incident, which unfolded with time still reportedly left on the clock in a formal sense.
Wider concern after another pitch invasion
The latest episode came after fans of both Celtic and Rangers entered the pitch following the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Ibrox. Hearts linked the incident to a broader concern about crowd behaviour and said football authorities needed to respond firmly.
The club also paid tribute to Derek McInnes, his staff, the first team and supporters, saying they had “done the club proud this season.” Hearts said none of them deserved to be involved in scenes the club called disgraceful.
SPFL waiting for official report
The SPFL said it would not comment on what happened after the match until it had reviewed the match delegate’s report. However, it is believed match officials confirmed that the full-time whistle had been blown before the players left the field.
That detail may prove important as the authorities assess the sequence of events and the scale of the disturbance. For Hearts, though, the central issue remained the same: the club said its staff should never have been placed in a situation that felt unsafe at Celtic Park.