Bloodied Scottish Premiership player taken off in wheelchair after being struck by object thrown from crowd

Aberdeen defender Jack Mackenzie has been injured after being struck by an object thrown from the crowd amid a pitch invasion at the end of the 2-1 defeat at Dundee United.

The left-back required lengthy treatment on the field before being taken off in a wheelchair with blood-soaked bandages covering his head after the incident at Tannadice Stadium.

Mackenzie was struck by a seat thrown from the away section housing his own supporters as United fans poured onto the pitch to celebrate clinching a European place after leapfrogging the Dons into fourth place in the William Hill Premiership.

Aberdeen's Jack MacKenzie receives treatment after being hit with an object from the crowd at the end of the 2-1 defeat at Dundee United. (Photo by Roddy Scott / SNS Group) | SNS Group

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin revealed after the match that MacKenzie is "ok” but has “quite a bad injury." "This is unacceptable and can't happen," Thelin told BBC Scotland. "We have to get all the facts of what actually happened. All we know is Jack got a really bad injury as a player doing his job. This cannot happen in this way."

United boss Jim Goodwin, who previously managed Aberdeen, labelled the incident "a disgrace".

"I deliberately took myself off the pitch as quickly as I could because we've had previous with the Aberdeen supporters in the past," he said. "I'm really disappointed to hear young Jack has been hit by an object thrown by his own supporters. He's inside having stitches now, it's an absolute disgrace.

"It's probably taken something as serious as this to happen for the authorities to finally step in and do something about it to identify these idiots who let down a really good club."

An SPFL spokesperson said: “It’s enormously disappointing and frustrating that one of the most exciting games in the season has been marred by such moronic behaviour. We await the match delegate report but will work closely with both clubs and Police Scotland to help identify the perpetrator and fully expect that appropriately severe footballing and judicial sanctions will be imposed.”

Danish attacker Jeppe Okkels scored his first goal for the Dons since signing on loan from Preston in January after 15 minutes with the visitors controlling the game. United gradually came back into it and in the 56th minute defender Declan Gallagher levelled with a header from a Glenn Middleton corner.

Striker Sam Dalby put United ahead with a penalty in the 62nd minute and when the dust settled on the final day of top-six fixtures, Goodwin’s men, back in the top flight this season, finished fourth which brings a potential Europe League qualifying place.

Aberdeen are able to swipe it back if they win the Scottish Cup against Celtic next week, albeit the champions failing at the last hurdle of another domestic treble is a long-odds prospect. St Mirren fought out a commendable 1-1 draw with Celtic at Parkhead but that was not enough to prevent them finishing sixth.