NafisaReferee Don Robertson has reportedly confirmed to the SPFL that he DID sound the final whistle during the chaotic ending to Celtic’s title-clinching victory over Hearts.
That development now appears to remove two bizarre scenarios that could theoretically have kept the Jambos’ title dream alive — despite the Premiership campaign already reaching its conclusion.
Martin O’Neill guided Celtic F.C. to a fifth consecutive championship after a 3-1 triumph over Heart of Midlothian F.C., with Daizen Maeda and Callum Osmand grabbing the decisive late goals.
However, extraordinary scenes unfolded before full-time after substitute Osmand netted the third goal in the 90th minute to effectively secure the victory.
That triggered a pitch invasion from the home supporters — although loud boos could also be heard from sections of the Celtic crowd as fans flooded onto the Parkhead surface prematurely.
The Hearts players were escorted quickly down the tunnel amid reports they had been “assaulted” and later departed the stadium still wearing their match kits before Celtic’s squad officially celebrated the title success.
There had initially been uncertainty surrounding whether Robertson had actually blown for full-time, with even Parkhead manager O’Neill admitting afterwards that he was unsure himself.
FIFA regulations suggest that if a fixture cannot be completed because of a pitch invasion, the SFA could investigate whether the game should either be replayed or awarded as a 3-0 forfeit victory to the opposing side — which would effectively have handed Hearts the league title.
However, those dramatic possibilities now appear to have disappeared after The Celtic Way reported that the match official informed SPFL delegates the full-time whistle had indeed been blown at Celtic Park.
Former Premier League referee Keith Hackett also supported Robertson’s call to end the match — despite O’Neill revealing he had been informed by the fourth official there was “about a minute to go” following Osmand’s goal.
Hackett referenced IFAB Law 5, which states the referee is the sole timekeeper and has complete authority to apply the Laws of the Game.
Posting on X, he said: “Law 5 supports the referee because he is the sole timekeeper. The ending was chaotic and unacceptable.
“The referee was frankly left with no other outcome other than to call time in the interest of the safety of the players and officials.”
Hearts have since issued a statement describing the scenes as “shameful” while demanding “the strongest possible action” from football authorities.
Former Tynecastle favourite Ryan Stevenson insisted “a line had been crossed” during the incidents at Celtic Park.
Speaking on Sportscene, he said: “We have spoke about it, you understand the elation and you understand some fans at some stage getting on the pitch as much as we don’t like to see it.
“But there is a line. If players are standing there and players are intimidating them, or getting up close and personal to them, you can’t do that. There has to be a line that we know that we do not cross, and unfortunately I do think we crosses it today.”
Nafisa
