Hearts fans have spoken of their devastation after their team was beaten by two late goals from Celtic, denying them their first Scottish Premiership title in 66 years. Fans packed pubs in Tynecastle to watch the match, and crowds gathered outside the Edinburgh side's stadium for the return of the team bus.
Match Decider Ends in Heartbreak
At the end of the game, Hearts players had to be escorted off the pitch as thousands of Celtic fans spilled onto the field immediately after Callum Osmand made it 3-1 deep into stoppage time of the title decider. Hearts fans expressed gratitude to their team for their efforts this season, where they came close to breaking the dominance of Celtic and Rangers at the top of the Scottish league.
Fan Reactions
Hans-Peter Hauck had travelled from his home near Frankfurt to watch the game. He said the result was "not good, it's heartbreaking." He added: "I'm still glad I came, it's a great experience."
Colin Hyson, a lifelong Hearts fan, was among a capacity crowd at The Athletic Arms, a Hearts-supporting pub also known as The Diggers. The 36-year-old said many Jambos fans would be angry at recent refereeing decisions. He stated: "We are better than them (Celtic), the league was won not by results but by decisions." He described fans as feeling "gutted, disappointed, distraught – hopefully when the dust settles we can look forward to the next season."
Many Hearts fans gathered outside Tynecastle after watching the match. Matt Cronin, 30, a lifelong Hearts supporter from Edinburgh, said the atmosphere in the pub he was in felt "electric" when his side scored in the first half. He commented: "It's crushing the way that you lose it. The fact that we were 10 minutes away – the whole time we were there we were counting down. To lose it the way we did, it's frustrating, but nothing can take away from what's been an incredible season."
John Connolly, 56, said he was looking forward to next season. He remarked: "The result is the result – but revenge is sweet. Sorry Celtic fans, but we'll be back."
