Hearts' Barrie McKay opens up on bottle incident at Celtic and makes 'Rangers history' suggestion

Hearts star Barrie McKay admitted he found it difficult taking corners at Parkhead during the team’s 1-0 defeat by Celtic on Thursday night after being targeted with objects by the home support.

Hearts Barrie McKay was struggling to take corner kicks due to objects being thrown from Celtic fans. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)

The former Rangers winger had coins, a bottle and even a pie launched at him during the second half of the cinch Premiership clash when taking corners in front of the safe-standing section at the ground.

Footage caught a plastic bottle bouncing off the player’s back and he even appealed to referee Bobby Madden at one point, as he sought to explain why he was a target.

“It wasn’t easy,” he admitted. “Due to my history at Rangers, that’s probably why.

“It’s hard to really stop it, you need to deal with it.

“It wasn’t nice being hit by a bottle for the first time in my career. I think it was full as well!

“It started with a cup and pie – which is a waste of a good cup and a pie! There were a few coins going past my head and then obviously the bottle.”

He added: “I spoke to the ref and he said that’s why the stewards were over there. But then you go to hit another one and there are still coins and stuff flying past.

“It’s dangerous. If one of those catches you it could cause some serious harm.”

McKay managed to deliver one fine corner onto the head of Stephen Kingsley for arguably Hearts’ best chance of the match but thereafter struggled to deliver to the same quality.

Reflecting on the incidents, the 26-year-old admitted he is used to getting abused at games but has never been hit by an object before.

“It’s hard not to be distracted but you need to try and put it to the back of your mind,” he said.

“The first corner I managed to put it in for Stephen, and we created a few chances.

“But it’s difficult. I’ve had abuse and that before when I have gone over to take corners.

“But I have never had anything thrown at me – or hit me – before.”

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