Identity of Hearts player 'assaulted' during Celtic title decider pitch invasion revealed

A CELTIC fan has been arrested in connection with an alleged assault on Hearts player Frankie Kent during last season’s epic title decider.

The man was lifted four months after hundreds of Hoops fans stormed the Parkhead pitch in May, sparking tense confrontations with Jambos players and staff.

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The suspect has been released on an undertaking to appear in court at a later date.

It comes after BBC pundit Pat Nevin apologised for making ‘heat of the moment’ claims that ex-Hearts star Lawrence Shankland had been assaulted during the same pitch invasion.

SunSport understands the alleged victim is experienced defender Kent, who came on as a substitute on the day just after half time, and left the club for Oxford Utd this summer.

There’s been months of claim and counter claim since the pitch invasion, which saw Celtic fined £7,500 and facing the prospect of losing 1,000 spectators for a home Scottish Premiership match in the event of another “significant incursion” before the end of the 2027-28 season.

The Hoops were also fined £2,500 for their fans entering the pitch and using pyrotechnics in the previous game away to Motherwell, a match decided by a 99th-minute penalty from Kelechi Iheanacho.

Chairman Brian Wilson said after the Hearts match: “There was nobody attacked. The game did finish.

“The Hearts players were not advised by police to leave the stadium promptly. It was all rubbish.

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“And yet people who should have known better or people with axes to grind who couldn’t quite conceal them, made this into a running narrative until it ran out of steam. So we weren’t going to get involved in that stupid debate.”

A Hearts statement at the time read: “Heart of Midlothian utterly condemns the shameful scenes at Celtic Park this afternoon which have, once again, embarrassed Scottish football.

“Reports of serious physical and verbal abuse towards our players and staff, both on the pitch and elsewhere, are deeply disturbing.

“We are investigating this fully and are in dialogue with Police Scotland.

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“We will make no further comment at this time other than to say that it is completely unacceptable that our players and staff were put in that situation.”

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