Celtic go into Saturday's 12:30 kick-off against Hearts at Parkhead knowing they must win to seal the Scottish Premiership for the fifth year in a row, and Glasgow is already being warned to brace for what may follow. Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell criticised the club on Friday for failing to put plans in place for an official title party, while Celtic urged supporters to avoid mass gatherings that have a high impact on the city.
Waddell said police were focused on “minimising disruption to local communities” and preventing “widespread disorder,” adding that supporters should “celebrate safely and reduce the impact on the local community.” Police Scotland said it had a comprehensive plan in place to avoid trouble, and precautionary measures on Friday included removing glass from bus stop shelters in Glasgow. The warnings come with memories still fresh of previous title celebrations, when fans gathered in their thousands in the Merchant City and Trongate areas after victories.
This season's finale has been building for days. Celtic's showdown with Hearts was confirmed on Wednesday, after they beat Motherwell with a controversial VAR-awarded penalty in the 99th minute. Earlier this month, Hearts beat Rangers and ended their rivals' hopes of staying in the title race, while Derek McInnes described the situation as “box office” as the championship picture tightened.
The friction around Saturday is not only about what happens after the final whistle. The Scottish Football Association said referee John Beaton and his family spent the previous night at home under police surveillance after a leak of personal details online, and police later said a 19-year-old man had been arrested and charged in connection with a data protection offence after a complaint that personal information was shared online relating to a Scottish football official. In a statement, the SFA called for restraint, saying: “We urge tolerance and perspective to prevent any further, unthinkable escalation.”
Police and Glasgow City Council have already been working with both Celtic and Rangers during a tight title race that has repeatedly spilled into the streets. Last year's celebrations led to 20 arrests after mass street drinking and pyrotechnics, while the 2024 scenes brought 19 arrests and left four officers injured. In 2021, Rangers fans assembled in huge numbers in George Square when the Ibrox side last won the title, a reminder of how quickly a football moment can become a public order problem.
Hearts, meanwhile, will have their own celebration ready if they secure the point they need to win their first title since 1960, with an open-top bus parade through Edinburgh set for Sunday. For Glasgow, the immediate question is not whether the title race has a winner. It is whether Saturday's final chapter can pass without the city paying for it twice.
