DUNDEE, SCOTLAND - AUGUST 10: Premier Sports' Michael Stewart during a William Hill Premiership match between Dundee and Heart of Midlothian at the Scot Foam Stadium at Dens Park, on August 10, 2024, in Dundee, Scotland. (Photo by Mark Scates/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Four months on Michael Stewart still can’t come to terms with Celtic’s SPFL Premiership title win.
It was the most dramatic of title showdowns with Hearts just needing a draw to win their first title for 60 years.
The stage was set for the greatest party in the history of BBC Scotland.
Kenny Macintyre and Tom English had planned it for months.
Ann Budge was going to make a special guest appearance which is always guaranteed to give English an extra buzz of excitement.
Ryan Stevenson, Allan Preston and Stewart would be guest of honour at the event.
Macintyre had even arranged for his favourite Flute Band to turn up at Pacific Quay to celebrate Celtic’s title loss.
After 86 minutes of the final match of the season the stage was set. English was poised on Uber Eats to order four dozen Jam Specials from Krispy Kreme.
Then the roof fell in.
Daizen Maeda scored and Stewart and his media chums were left forever scarred.
David Roome provided hope as he raised his flag for offside. Alas it required a VAR check rather than the wishful thinking of Bobby Madden’s best mate.
Celtic were 2-1 in front, then 3-1 up.
It was title 56 for Celtic and the realisation for Stewart that it might be another 40 years before Hearts get so close to being champions of Scotland.
By that time BBC Scotland and their licence will be history.
STEWART JUST CAN’T LET IT GO
Stewart joined Frank McAvennie and Simon Houston on their podcast.
It didn’t take much for his paranoia and barely masked dislike for Celtic to surface.
If it wasn’t for VAR. Maeda’s goal against Hearts on the last day would have been chopped off for a horrendous offside call….guess that doesn’t suit the narrative though https://t.co/7FZj4V7HSW
— Francis Carty (@FrancisCarty) September 4, 2026
Like Derek McInnes, Stewart fell apart in the run-in to the SPFL title.
When you are agreeing with Kris Boyd and Ally McCoist it really is time to step back and revalue things.
Stewart wouldn’t want reminded that Hearts went through their first 37 SPFL matches without having a penalty awarded against them.
Or the game changing intervention of John Beaton when Celtic visited Hearts in January.
Leading 2-1 Steven McLean booked Auston Trusty for a trip on Pierre Landry Kabore.
Beaton decided that it denied Hearts a goal-scoring opportunity, McLean agreed.
Hearts equalised 10 minutes later. McLean played eight minutes of stoppage time but Celtic held on for a point.
Away to Hibs in May Celtic overcame the most outrageous decisions of the season to beat Hibs 2-1.
David Dickinson refereed the match, Don Robertson was on VAR. Douglas Ross and Calum Scott were on the lines.
It was a horrific performance from the four SFA officials.
Led by BBC Scotland barely a word of complaint was heard.
And then there was Roome’s offside call in the final match of the season.
And long may it continue ! Celtic’s title triumph last season against the odds is obviously still eating away at Stewart and other guest mouthpieces at the BBC Scottish version of radio and TV? Not to mention the entire SMSM establishment and the englandland equivalent too . Knawing away …knots in stomachs …sweats in the middle of the night crying into pillows ! Yes that best ever Celtic league win under the circumstances which the board thrust upon the club and the team will take a long time to recover from …if they ever will . Forever known to the football planet as ‘Hearts’ed it !’
Albert kidd. Enough said.
Think this was even better than Albert Kidd…
Without var it wouldn’t have happened…
THANK GOD FOR VAR !
Yet Peter Grant has stated on Celtic TV that he hates VAR and would prefer if the powers that be disposed of the system………As the late,great Kenny Everett would say “What a Cupid Stunt !!!”