Celtic manager Martin O’Neill says allegations Hearts players were assaulted amid Saturday’s pitch invasion “has not been proved” as he refused to condemn the club’s fans.
Shareholder Tony Bloom claimed on Wednesday that Hearts players were assaulted by Celtic fans who had run onto the pitch to celebrate clinching the Scottish Premiership title.
Police Scotland are investigating whether there was any criminality involved, and O’Neill says if proof emerges then there would be “deep apologies”.
“That hasn’t been proved, and that’s a fairly severe allegation as well too,” O’Neill said ahead of Saturday’s Scottish Cup final against Dunfermline.
“If it is eventually proved, and there’s been a lot of searching around over videos and things like this here, then obviously that would be very serious indeed.
Hearts investor Tony Bloom claimed players were assaulted by Celtic fans
“If that’s the case, then obviously that would be a deep apology from all of us at Celtic Park.”
The Jambos went into the final day of the season one point ahead of the Hoops, but Callum Osmand’s late goal saw a number of home fans run on to the pitch to celebrate.
Hearts players left the stadium immediately while still in their kits due to what the Tynecastle club say was a “menacing and threatening atmosphere inside the stadium”.
But O’Neill is refusing to criticise the Celtic supporters for celebrating a league title win.
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Police Scotland assistant chief constable Mark Sutherland has condemned the disorder in Glasgow as supporters celebrated Celtic’s Scottish Premiership title victory that saw several people arrested and two police officers injured.
“Pitch invasions are not new at the end of the day. And if you want to stop all pitch invasions, well, that’s up to the authorities.
“I think you’re taking the emotion out of the game.
“I believe, and one doesn’t know things for certain, but at the end of it all, if Hearts had beaten us at Tynecastle, and their fans spilled onto the pitch in euphoric glee, then I think I would have some understanding of that.
“It’s easy to say from here [now] that it hasn’t happened, but I think I would.
“I don’t think I would condemn supporters in any way. Are you saying when the final whistle goes that people cannot come onto the pitch?
“It won’t be taken out of the game. I’ll tell you something now, I bet you there’ll be another pitch invasion in the next 10 years if a team wins a league or a cup.”
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