George Foulkes reacted furiously on X after Hearts missed out on the Premiership title following Celtic’s dramatic comeback win at Celtic Park on Saturday.
The former Hearts chairman watched Martin O’Neill’s side recover from 1-0 down to win 3-1 and secure another league title in one of the most chaotic final days Scottish football has seen for years.
For long spells Hearts looked ready to complete the job.
Lawrence Shankland’s first-half goal silenced Celtic Park and with Hearts only needing a draw to become champions, the pressure around the stadium became obvious. Celtic eventually hit back through an Arne Engels penalty before Daizen Maeda and Callum Osmand turned the title race completely around late in the game.
That was enough to push Foulkes over the edge online afterwards.
Much of the frustration from Hearts supporters still centres around the controversial stoppage-time penalty Celtic received against Motherwell earlier in the week when Kelechi Iheanacho scored the goal that kept O’Neill’s side alive heading into the final day.
Martin O’Neill, Callum McGregor and Alistair Johnston all defended that decision publicly under the current handball laws, while the SFA also backed referee John Beaton and VAR official Andrew Dallas afterwards.
Foulkes clearly remains unconvinced.
The politician and former Hearts chairman posted his reaction on X after leaving Celtic Park.
Just back from Parkhead
The fans in hospitality were friendly
Particularly Brian Wilson
Some wouldn’t even have minded if we had won
But the outcome left a bad taste in the mouth & the result appeared predetermined
Some kind of inquiry is needed— George Foulkes (@GeorgeFoulkes) May 16, 2026
The reaction online to Foulkes’ comments was immediate.
Many Celtic supporters pointed towards Hearts’ inability to hold onto the lead at Celtic Park rather than anything connected to officiating. Others highlighted the fact Hearts still had the title in their own hands with only minutes remaining before Maeda’s late goal changed everything.
The handball debate from Fir Park will clearly continue for a while yet though.
O’Neill repeatedly argued throughout the week that the decision was correct “as the rules stand” and insisted much of the outrage came because “everybody wants Hearts to win.”
Saturday’s ending only poured more fuel onto that argument after Celtic completed the comeback and celebrated title number 56 in front of a completely chaotic Celtic Park.
For Foulkes sake, I thought he was dead!
alcoholic BASTARD!!
George foulkes has at a dislike for Celtic Neill lennon was assulted at Tyne castle where Celtic supporters buses gets stoned on way home crushed on the way in by police horses but ive like the pitch atmoshere until female Mrs Thatcher took over the club and no interacting between the club stopped I admit outside the Rangers its the one club I love beating abd news coming from there manager last week was hateful today he was more mellow no diplimatic yes its hard when a team you manage idms minutes away from premier league winners by a disputed penalty what penalty is not you could say one today but you will stiil have people calling out officail like me for our Celtic second linesman raised his flag in the hope var would see something that would chop the goal of but i bet he hasnt got police protecting his househonestlyI blame comments from managers and tv pundits that lost it by referring to beaton for cheating these people have to reined in beaton have a good liabil case apolgise not good enough now for in the end they say Celtic needed three goals they say I think the would have got them hearts were out on there feets
ever heard of a comma and a fullstops? that was a brutal read
full stop even……sh1te grammar is infectious, by the looks.
Jack ,that was a word salad mate.No beginning,no middle,and no end.Pity,cos I think there might be a valid point in there somewhere
Hearts have a legitimate grievance with McLean, not with Beaton. They can have no complaints about yesterday. Had they held on they would have deserved the title. They didn’t, and so Celtic deserved it.
Foulkes is an irrelevant twat.
If his team had won, he would have kept his big mouth shut and celebrated, but alas his serial bottlers couldn’t match the mighty Celtic, the best team in Scotland.
Well done to the real Manager of the Year, Martin O’Neill .
“Some wouldn’t even have minded if we had won” – I wonder if he’s meaning some of our um, exec team wouldn’t have minded if we’d lost! Another reason to have a new chairman, CEO and CFO. Great win, what a goal from Daizen, what a player too. Good seeing young Osmand get the last one. Happy days, HH