The Celtic Fans Collective has released a lengthy statement defending the club, the support and Martin O’Neill following the fallout from Saturday’s title win over Hearts.

Discussion around Celtic’s dramatic comeback at Celtic Park has barely stopped since the final whistle. Much of the focus outside the club has centred on refereeing decisions, the penalty awarded against Motherwell during Hearts’ match and the scenes after Callum Osmand’s late winner sparked a pitch invasion inside the stadium.

Celtic supporters have pushed back hard against that narrative online.

Many feel the wider reaction has deliberately downplayed what O’Neill and the players achieved during the run-in. Celtic looked out of the title race earlier in the season before going on a relentless run of results while Hearts started dropping points away from home at exactly the wrong time.

That context sits at the centre of the Collective’s statement.

The group argued Celtic won the league because of performances on the pitch rather than decisions elsewhere and accused critics of ignoring poor refereeing calls that had gone against Celtic in recent weeks.

The statement also defended supporters following criticism of the celebrations after the title-clinching goal at Celtic Park. While the Collective admitted pitch incursions should not be encouraged, they argued some of the reaction since Saturday had become exaggerated.

The Celtic Fans Collective addressed all of that in a strongly-worded statement released on Monday night.

A Celtic Fans Collective statement read: “Over the last 10 days, we have had a clear reminder of just how badly some people in Scotland did not want Celtic to win the league. We have seen a carefully curated list of refereeing decisions held up as evidence of conspiracy, while several dreadful decisions given against Celtic in recent weeks have been omitted from discussion.

Celtic won the league because key players delivered big moments, the support stood by the team, and because a winning mentality carried us over the line. Hearts lost the league not because of a correct penalty decision in a match they were not playing in, but because they won only one of their last seven away games.

Now the focus has shifted to Celtic supporters celebrating on the pitch. People are entitled to take a critical view of pitch incursions, and they are not something to encourage, but the reaction to this has again been overblown and disproportionate. Vague claims of violence and disorder, without clear evidence or specific allegations, only add to the sense that there is a determination to discredit an incredible title win.

The main focus should be on Martin O’Neill and his team, who deserve enormous credit for winning the league under incredibly challenging and unlikely circumstances.
Celtic are champions for the 56th time.
That is the story.

While a galvanised and unified Celtic support basks in the glory of becoming Champions again, the usual suspects’ tears and tantrums will last long into the summer.”


The tone of the statement reflects the mood among a large section of the support since the title was secured.

Many supporters feel the achievement itself has almost become secondary in parts of the media discussion despite the scale of Celtic’s comeback under O’Neill.

With the Scottish Cup Final still to come this weekend, there is also a feeling among supporters that the squad deserves more attention for dragging the title race back from where it stood only a few months ago.