SFA releases – The SFA has released audio from the Scottish title decider against Hearts, where the recording reveals Hearts boss Derek McInnes was “happy for the game to finish” and wanted his players off the pitch amid a mass pitch invasion.
The moment Callum Osmand scored to make it 3-1, it should have been the clean end to a league-deciding night. Around 30 seconds remained, plus any further stoppages, and Celtic were about to clinch the title.
But when the match was brought to a conclusion without a final whistle, Hearts still pursued answers—contacting the SFA and SPFL on Wednesday after the club felt the game had ended prematurely.
By Thursday night. the SFA finally broke its silence on the fallout. releasing audio that it says shows Hearts were not disputing the ending. In the recording, an official tells referee Don Robertson: “Hearts are happy to finish. Derek McInnes has told me they are happy to finish.” The audio continues with the message: “They [Hearts] want their players off the pitch.”.
The context is crucial. The match had turned chaotic after a mass pitch invasion, and the instruction from McInnes—captured in the conversation—is framed as a safety-first request to get Hearts players off the field as quickly as possible.
Hearts midfielder Cammy Devlin was left dejected as Celtic fans invaded the pitch in stoppage time, while Celtic manager Martin O’Neill applauded supporters after the title-deciding win against Hearts.
The SFA’s position is that the referee and fourth official knew exactly where Hearts stood. In its release. the governing body insisted Robertson “clearly communicated that the match was ended and not abandoned. ” while also stressing that the game ended seven seconds more than the minimum additional time of eight minutes that had been signalled.
The SFA statement also addressed why the audio was made public. It noted the contents of Hearts’ statement from the previous day and the accompanying letter signed by the club chair. Calum Paterson. It said that while a meeting had been held with the SFA’s Chief Governance Officer. Gary Booth. the Head of Refereeing. William Collum. and VAR Manager Martin Atkinson. it was initially intended to take place privately.
That private nature shifted once “recent statements have compelled us to consider the public interest in providing clarification and chronology.” The SFA said it was “happy to publish the relevant audio-visual footage.”
In that process. the SFA said it was made clear the match official took the correct action in ending the game. The governing body acknowledged the specific debate around the blowing of a final whistle. explaining that “the Laws of the Game require the referee to signal the end of the match. but do not prescribe the method of that signal.”.
The SFA also laid out how it interpreted the timeline. It said the match clock does not stop when a goal is scored. and that the footage shows that when Robertson confirms the game has ended. the clock is at 53.07 [98.07]. which it described as more than the minimum additional time of eight minutes signalled.
According to the SFA, the decision was also taken after dialogue with Hearts head coach Derek McInnes, who had “intimated concerns over player safety.”
To underline the referee’s authority. the statement referenced Law 5 of the IFAB Laws of the Game. stating: “the decisions of the referee regarding facts connected with play are final”. The SFA closed by saying it “fully support[s] the decisive action taken by Don Robertson and his team to end the game.”.
Scottish FA SFA Celtic Hearts Derek McInnes Don Robertson Callum Osmand title decider pitch invasion audio released Martin Atkinson William Collum Gary Booth Calum Paterson