“Mathematically impossible” so Hearts moans are meaningless

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The Celtic Star

·11 avril 2026

“Mathematically impossible” so Hearts moans are meaningless

It would have been “mathematically impossible” for Hearts to conclude their Scottish Premiership campaign at Tynecastle, according to a leading Scottish football analyst…

Tynecastle ahead of kick-off. .Hearts v Celtic, 26 October 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Gavin Noon – widely known online as “Scotland’s Coefficient” – addressed the issue after Ewen Cameron’s hilarious rant over the recently announced post-split fixtures.

Vidéos OneFootball

The fixture list confirms that Celtic will welcome the Jambos on the final day, breaking from the usual pattern where the team sitting top at the split is handed a home finale – a position Hearts currently occupy – which could change today.

Hearts manager Derek McInnes celebrates after the Scottish Premiership match between theRangers and Hearts at Ibrox on September 13, 2025. (Photo by Steve Welsh/Getty Images)

With some supporters Ibrox and Hearts supporters suggesting bias in the scheduling, Noon has outlined the strict criteria the SPFL must follow when compiling post-split fixtures.

As detailed on Scottishfootball.info, the league is required to meet several conditions beyond simply balancing 19 home and 19 away matches per team.

Among those rules is the need to avoid staging derby matches on the final day – particularly relevant this season, with both Glasgow and Edinburgh derbies due to take place.

Additionally, teams must alternate venues across their final two fixtures, rather than ending the season with consecutive home or away games. There is also a restriction preventing any side from playing three matches in a row at either home or away.

On top of that, with both the title race and the battle for European places finely poised, the SPFL must ensure all fixtures on the final two matchdays kick off simultaneously – a standard practice across many European leagues.

Martin O’Neill arrives at Tynecastle. Hearts v Celtic, 25 January 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou.

Given all of these constraints, Noon has insisted there was no possible combination of fixtures that would have allowed Hearts to finish the season at Tynecastle while satisfying every requirement.

Although some may view the outcome as unfortunate, others argue it simply reflects the complexities of fixture scheduling rather than any underlying agenda.

Looking ahead, the final-day meeting between Celtic and Hearts has the potential to be a blockbuster occasion, particularly if both remain in contention.

However, before then, both teams face a series of challenging fixtures that could yet shape the title race.

A view of Celtic Park Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Premiership, 22 February 2026. Photo Mark Runnacles IMAGO/Shutterstock

Celtic’s opening game of the split sees Falkirk make a third visit to Celtic Park this season, with both Brendan Rodgers and O’Neill having already guided Celtic to victory in the previous encounters.

Manager Celtic Wilfried Nancy of Celtic looks on after Celtic’s loss in the Premier League match between Motherwell and Celtic at Fir Park on December 30, 2025 in Motherwell, Scotland. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)

Hearts and the Ibrox club have each claimed wins at Celtic Park this season, although those results came during wild Wilfried Nancy’s spell in charge. The Frenchman also oversaw Celtic’s defeat at Fir Park – the Hoops’ only trip there this season.

Conor Spence

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