Martin O’Neill has revealed that he was forced to change his phone number after receiving hundreds of abusive calls and messages during the fallout from Celtic’s title-clinching victory.
The Celtic manager says his contact details were circulated online in the days leading up to the dramatic Premiership finale, prompting a flood of hostile messages before last weekend’s showdown with Hearts.
O’Neill is preparing for Saturday’s Scottish Cup final against Dunfermline, but much of the focus this week has remained on the controversy surrounding Celtic’s title celebrations and the subsequent pitch invasion at Celtic Park.
The 74 year-old admitted the scale of the personal abuse eventually forced him to change his number.
“I’ve changed my telephone number because it was circulated around. You want to hear some of the comments on those,” O’Neill said via Daily Record. “That was from the Wednesday night. I had to change it.
“It’s not a problem but I’ve had it for 35 years and it was kind of part of me at the end of the day. It got circulated somewhere, but they are on tape. It was messages, texts, everything. That was before the game. I decided on Friday I needed to change it to concentrate on the game on Saturday.
“I might put it back again just to listen to the messages. I haven’t contact the police yet but I may do. There were only about 250 calls!”
Hearts at Celtic Park on May 16, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
The Celtic boss also responded strongly to comments from Hearts shareholder Tony Bloom, who claimed his players had been assaulted during the post-match scenes on the pitch.
O’Neill rejected the accusations and criticised Bloom for making the claims publicly without evidence.
“I heard Tony Bloom saying that there were two players assaulted,” he said. “It’s not true – if it is, it hasn’t been proven yet. I’ve watched the pictures back, and I think one of their players actually snaps a phone away from a lad and stamps on it.
“But that’s besides the point, I can understand that. What was remarkable about it was, pitch invasion or not, do you know how took to clear the pitch invasion? Two minutes and 50 seconds.
“For someone to say, without proof at this moment, that the players were assaulted, I think that’s irresponsible. If it is proved that those players had been assaulted, that’s not on.
“That’s an offence at the end of the day. I think if it’s the case, and it is proved that they’ve been hit, it would be more than an apology from us. If that’s the case, it’s not on. It’s not on at all.”
The Scottish FA later released audio from referee Don Robertson’s discussions with Hearts manager Derek McInnes, confirming agreement had been reached to end the match following the disruption.
O’Neill believes much of the reaction stems from the dramatic manner in which Celtic denied Hearts a fairytale title story.
“What has happened is that people have taken out the emotion of the game,” he said “I didn’t know what Hearts’ argument was at the end of the day.
“Because the pitch invasion had taken place? Had the game finished or not? Were we going to go back and play the last 15 seconds if that was the case?
“I also didn’t know it was the rules that the referee, Don Robertson, doesn’t have to blow a whistle to finish the game, as was proved at Leverkusen. Because Leverkusen scored another goal to put it beyond them and to win the game.
“There have been pitch invasions here in this country. There was one at Kilmarnock when Derek (McInnes) was on the pitch at the time.
“If pitch invasions are going to be universally blocked, fine. And if it’s a criminal offence to go onto the pitch, that’s something else. I’m not sure in the euphoria.
“I don’t know this for certain, but if the situation had been reversed and happened at Hearts, I think there wouldn’t have been the clamour that there has been here.
“I do agree with the football club in apologising for the Hearts players not getting the opportunity to acknowledge their own fans and for their fans to show their appreciation for their efforts. Regardless of all of this, Hearts’ participation has made it a season to remember.”
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