Celtic chairman mocks 'artificial controversy' on pitch invasion

Celtic will lose home seats for one league match if there is another "significant pitch incursion" before the end of the 2027-28 season

Celtic chairman Brian Wilson has criticised the "stupid debate" around the pitch invasion that followed their title-clinching victory over Hearts in May, while accepting sanctions issued by the SPFL.

In what was a final-day decider, fans streamed out of the stands after Callum Osmand raced clear to make it 3-1 in the seventh minute of stoppage time.

Celtic have been fined and face the prospect of losing 1,000 spectators for a home Scottish Premiership match if there is another "significant incursion" before the end of the 2027-28 season.

Hearts, with players still in their kits, left the stadium immediately, citing a "menacing and threatening atmosphere inside the stadium", and Celtic later issued an apology.

However, Wilson took issue with "absurd" reports suggesting the referee had ended the match prematurely, Hearts players had been attacked and had been advised to leave by the police.

In an interview with Celtic TV, the former Labour cabinet member referred to "great mountains of artificial controversy" and "froth", saying: "We took a a conscious decision in the immediate aftermath of the the season and the Hearts game in particular not to join in exchanges of words with with anyone.

"We were celebrating winning a double and we were not going to get bogged down in what actually was an absurd series of of debates about issues which didn't really exist. And one by one they've been chopped off.

"There was nobody attacked. The game did finish. The Hearts players were not advised by police to leave the stadium promptly. It was all rubbish.

"And yet people who should have known better or people with axes to grind who couldn't quite conceal them, made this into a running narrative until it ran out of steam. So we weren't going to get involved in that stupid debate."

Announcing the outcomes of disciplinary action taken against several clubs in relation to unacceptable conduct by fans, the SPFL has fined Celtic £7,500 and issued a penalty suspended until 30 June 2028, which would be triggered by a "significant pitch incursion".

Wilson said the sanction was "fair enough", adding: "Of course there were incursions and incursions shouldn't happen, but they were in very emotional circumstances."

Celtic were also fined £2,500 for their fans entering the pitch and using pyrotechnics in the previous game away to Motherwell, which was settled in their favour by a 99th-minute penalty from Kelechi Iheanacho.

In this case, Celtic have been told they will lose 100 tickets from their allocation to one away match in the league, suspended until 30 June 2027.

Motherwell were cited for the same offences in the same fixture and will too pay a £2,500 fine.

The Fir Park club will have block E in the East Stand closed for one match if there is a repeat of such behaviour before 30 June 2027.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Hamilton Academical must each pay £1,000 for fans entering the field of play in their 2 May meeting in the Highlands.

The host club will have half of their North Stand closed for a league game, with the threat of punishment suspended until 30 June 2028.

Hamilton were also reprimanded and given a formal warning for a pitch invasion at home to Clyde on 15 May.

And Stenhousemuir face a reduction in capacity of 150 seats at Ochilview Park for one match, again suspended until 30 June 2028, after supporters celebrated promotion to the Championship on the Alloa Athletic pitch on 16 May.