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Celtic FC came under criticism from Police Scotland before Saturday’s dramatic Scottish Premiership finale against Heart of Midlothian FC, which the Bhoys won 3-1 to secure the league title.
Senior officers accused the club of failing to take responsibility for supporter celebrations outside the stadium ahead of the rare final-day showdown, where Celtic hosted Hearts at a sold-out Celtic Park while the Edinburgh side attempt to secure a first league crown in 66 years.
Police have now confirmed that a major operational plan has been put in place across Glasgow and Edinburgh amid fears of large-scale supporter gatherings and potential disorder following the match.
Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell said officers had spent months discussing potential supporter events and crowd management strategies with clubs and local authorities.
Police accuse Celtic of lacking official celebration plans
Speaking ahead of the decisive weekend, Waddell criticised Celtic for not organising any official post-match celebration arrangements if Brendan Rodgers’ side secure the title.
He said: “Despite these welcome efforts, Celtic Football Club has again failed to bring forward any plan or take any responsibility for the wider conduct and safety of supporters outwith the stadium.”
Waddell added that authorities are once again preparing for thousands of supporters to gather in Glasgow’s Trongate area, as has happened during previous title celebrations.
He warned that policing the expected gatherings has placed major pressure on resources, explaining: “A dedicated policing plan is in place should this occur which has impacted on the wellbeing of our officers and staff, and led to the unnecessary cancellation of rest days.”
The assistant chief constable also issued a warning to supporters, insisting anyone engaging in anti-social behaviour or criminal activity would face action from police.
Celtic urge fans to avoid Glasgow city centre
Celtic responded on Friday by urging supporters not to gather in Glasgow city centre should the club win the title.
In an official statement, the club acknowledged previous issues surrounding celebrations and called on fans to be mindful of local residents and emergency services.
The statement read: “If we are fortunate enough to be successful on Saturday, we would ask our supporters to be mindful of the challenges which have been faced by Glasgow city centre previously.”
Celtic also confirmed they had recently met with Glasgow City Council regarding the situation and recognised the strain such events place on the city.
The club added: “If successful on Saturday, we would absolutely want our fans to enjoy their own celebrations, but given these events and the wider logistics, we would therefore discourage supporters from attending gatherings in the city centre this weekend.”
The club went ahead to be successful, scoring two late goals to secure the title, but the full-time scenes left a little to be desired, as the home fans swamped the pitch after Callum Osmand’s late goal to take the result beyond doubt.
FGG Says
This has become an increasingly familiar issue for Scottish football authorities.
Police Scotland’s frustration appears to centre less on Celtic supporters celebrating and more on the lack of a structured, officially managed alternative.
For Celtic, the challenge is balancing supporter freedom with public safety concerns. But with previous Trongate gatherings causing disruption and heavy policing demands, pressure is clearly growing for a more formal long-term solution.