Chris Sutton states he disagrees with Martin O’Neill about the Celtic pitch invasion, but finds Hearts’ statement strange amid the wild full-time talk.

Chris Sutton admits he disagrees with Martin O’Neill over the subject of pitch invasions, but believes some of the reaction following Celtic’s dramatic title-winning finale against Hearts has spiralled into unnecessary hysteria.

The former Celtic striker says the fallout from last weekend’s chaotic Premiership decider has almost overshadowed the upcoming Scottish Cup Final at Hampden, where O’Neill’s side are preparing to face Neil Lennon and Dunfermline Athletic.

Martin O’Neill and Derek McInnes at full time

According to Sutton, O’Neill has handled every issue thrown at him over the past week with the calmness and experience that have defined his long managerial career.

From questions about the title race and fan disorder to speculation over his future at Celtic, Sutton believes his former manager has appeared fully prepared for every challenge placed in front of him.

The ex-striker reflected on Celtic’s dramatic 3-1 victory over Hearts, describing the title triumph itself as remarkable after what he called a turbulent and emotionally draining season.

However, Sutton insisted the aftermath of the match quickly became just as extraordinary as the result itself.

While he believes Celtic fully deserved to win the Premiership title, he also argued that much of the reaction and commentary that followed the final whistle became excessive and irrational.

Sutton made clear that he does not share O’Neill’s relatively relaxed stance regarding supporters entering the pitch during moments of celebration.

Although he understands the emotional argument that football should never lose its passion and spontaneity, Sutton stressed that supporters should never be allowed onto the field of play under any circumstances.

In his view, no matter how joyful or harmless the intentions may seem, pitch invasions always carry danger and risk creating situations that can quickly spiral out of control.

To illustrate his point, Sutton pointed to a recent incident in England involving York City and Rochdale during a National League promotion decider.

York secured promotion with a dramatic goal deep into stoppage time, sparking wild celebrations and a second pitch invasion of the day.

During the chaos, a confrontation reportedly took place between a supporter and a player, with footage appearing to show the player striking the fan after being grabbed.

Sutton stressed that he was not comparing that incident directly to what happened at Celtic Park, nor was he suggesting there was any similar misconduct during Celtic’s title celebrations.

Instead, he argued the example demonstrated how quickly situations can escalate when fans enter the pitch and players are placed into emotionally charged confrontations.

He acknowledged that the York player’s reaction appeared wrong, but also insisted players should never be forced into those circumstances in the first place.

Sutton then turned his attention to the perspective of the Hearts players, admitting he sympathised with how difficult the moment must have been for them.

Having personally experienced losing league titles on the final day during his own career, he said he fully understands the emotional devastation the Hearts squad would have felt after coming so close to glory.

He admitted that if he had been a Hearts player surrounded by rival supporters celebrating and provoking him after the match, he would likely have struggled emotionally as well.

At the same time, Sutton argued there is an important distinction between fan goading and some of the more serious accusations that emerged afterward.

Specifically, he addressed comments made by Hearts investor Tony Bloom, who used the word “assault” when discussing the scenes following the final whistle.

Sutton agreed with O’Neill’s sharp response to those remarks, insisting there has been no proof presented publicly of any such incidents.

Hearts players confronted on pitch by invading fans(Image: Mark Runnacles/Shutterstock)

According to Sutton, if genuine assaults did occur, they should absolutely be investigated and treated with complete seriousness.

However, he believes it was right for O’Neill to challenge claims that had not been proven.

Another major talking point from the week involved confusion surrounding how and when referee Don Robertson officially ended the match.

Social media became flooded with speculation, conspiracy theories, and arguments over whether the game had truly finished before the pitch invasion unfolded.

Sutton dismissed much of that debate as absurd.

He argued the reality was extremely simple: the referee ended the game, and the exact method he used to communicate that decision was ultimately irrelevant.

Whether Robertson blew his whistle, verbally informed players, or used another signal did not matter in Sutton’s eyes because the officials had clearly decided the contest was over.

The former striker also pointed out that Hearts manager Derek McInnes appeared perfectly aware that the match had concluded at that point.

Given that understanding, Sutton admitted he found parts of Hearts’ subsequent public statements slightly strange.

He suggested that if McInnes knew the game had officially ended, then senior club officials likely knew that as well, making some of the later wording from the club hierarchy appear unusual.

Even so, Sutton emphasised he has no criticism whatsoever for McInnes or the Hearts players themselves.

He praised Hearts for an outstanding season and said he completely understands the emotional pain they must have experienced after losing the title on the final day.

Drawing on his own experiences as a player, Sutton described losing championships in such dramatic fashion as emotionally crushing.

He also pointed out that O’Neill understands those feelings too, which is why the Celtic boss showed sympathy and respect toward McInnes in the aftermath of the game.

Sutton said it made perfect sense that McInnes simply wanted the match finished and his players removed from the situation as quickly as possible once Celtic had scored their decisive third goal.

He suspects the Hearts squad would have been relieved to get down the tunnel, onto the team bus, and back to Edinburgh after the chaos unfolded.

Derek McInnes

The pundit also defended Robertson and the officiating team, praising the way they handled an extremely unusual and difficult situation.

Following the release of audio by the Scottish Football Association, Sutton believes it became clear the officials dealt with matters calmly and professionally.

He argued that the audio should finally put an end to many of the conspiracy theories and exaggerated claims that had circulated throughout the week.

Some online discussions had included suggestions ranging from match replays to forfeits and even stripping Celtic of the title altogether.

Sutton described much of that reaction as complete overreaction, insisting the truth was ultimately straightforward and far less dramatic than many people wanted it to be.

Now, he hopes attention can finally return to football itself and the Scottish Cup Final at Hampden.

The conversation then shifted toward O’Neill’s future at Celtic beyond this season.

Sutton believes the veteran manager has every right to expect serious consideration if he delivers a domestic Double by winning the cup final.

He outlined what he sees as the three major questions facing Celtic at present.

First, whether the club already has another managerial candidate lined up for next season.

Second, whether O’Neill himself genuinely wants to continue in the role.

And third, perhaps most importantly, who exactly will oversee recruitment and player signings during the upcoming transfer window.

Sutton warned that Celtic must resolve those uncertainties quickly to avoid instability heading into next season.

At the same time, he believes O’Neill has strengthened his position significantly through the way he has handled both the title race and the controversies that followed.

The former striker noted that O’Neill was already discussing pre-season return dates during media duties earlier in the week, something Sutton interpreted as a sign that the manager is fully prepared to continue if asked.

In Sutton’s eyes, that level of readiness sums up O’Neill’s approach throughout the entire week — calm, experienced, organised, and always prepared for whatever comes next.