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Leigh Griffiths vows to stay away from Tynecastle

CELTIC striker Leigh Griffiths says he will not be returning to Tynecastle except on playing duty following his court appearance last week.
By The Newsroom
Published 16th Sep 2015, 01:00 BST
Griffiths in the crowd at Tynecastle the same day the offensive singing took place. Picture: Ian GeorgesonGriffiths in the crowd at Tynecastle the same day the offensive singing took place. Picture: Ian Georgeson
Griffiths in the crowd at Tynecastle the same day the offensive singing took place. Picture: Ian Georgeson

The Leith-born Hibs fan was admonished after admitting singing a song with offensive lyrics about the former Hearts player, Rudi Skacel. The incident happened in a pub in the Roseburn area of Edinburgh before a Hearts-Hibs derby game at Tynecastle in March last year.

The Scottish Football Association issued an updated notice of complaint to Griffiths, alleging: “singing in public a song of an offensive, racist and/or discriminatory nature”, held in abeyance until the court case ended. Asked if he was aware of when his SFA charge would be be dealt with, he said: “No. I will leave that to upstairs and whoever deals with that. I will just concentrate on Ajax and trying to get three points for Celtic.”

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Griffiths, though, admits he has no intention of going back to Tynecastle unless it is as a Celtic player.

“I am glad it is done and now I can concentrate on my football,” he said. “It was a stupid mistake that I won’t be doing again. I have learned a lot from it.

“It was a derby and it was heat of the moment. Safe to say I won’t be going back to Tynecastle unless it is playing for Celtic.”

Griffiths pled guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last Friday to singing a song with offensive lyrics which described Skacel as a “refugee”. He issued a statement of apology and his lawyer said the player had been fined four weeks’ wages by Celtic over the incident.