Hearts Fans from Australia Confident of Premiership Title Despite Celtic Penalty Drama

Hearts fans insist their team will claim the Scottish Premiership title despite a controversial 99th-minute penalty awarded to Celtic against Motherwell that preserved the challengers' hopes.

"We've come this far and got this close - I'm still supremely confident we're going to get it over the line," said Colin Brown, a Hearts supporter originally from Edinburgh who traveled from Australia to witness the action.

A Hearts 3-0 win over Falkirk combined with a Celtic defeat would have handed Tynecastle the league with one match remaining. Both contenders won Wednesday's games, so the title now hinges on Saturday's clash between Celtic and Hearts in Glasgow.

Colin spent A$4,500 (£2,408) on flights to reach Edinburgh this week in hopes of seeing Hearts lift the Premiership trophy. A victory would mark the club's first top-flight title since 1960 and the first league win by a team outside Celtic or Rangers in more than 40 years.

Hearts sit on 80 points after Wednesday's results, the highest total for any non-Old Firm side in Premiership history. Celtic trail with 79.

"We've been comfortable this season against Celtic so I've got all the faith in the team," Colin said. He told BBC Radio Scotland Breakfast: "The mentality that head coach Derek McInnes has drilled into the team is just phenomenal - they are a unit."

"I knew when I booked my flight it was going to go down to the last game and I maintain we are going to do it."

Hearts placed seventh last season, 42 points behind Celtic. Colin said his side now needs only a draw at Parkhead to secure the title. The Edinburgh club last seriously challenged for the top-flight crown in 1986 but lost to Dundee at Dens Park, allowing Celtic to prevail.

Despite mounting pressure on the Jam Tarts, Colin shrugged off late nerves. "Watching Hearts play last night and all season, the team get the job done and do what is required," he said. "I have got all my faith in this team."

Colin is not alone. Mark Speakman spent more than A$30,000 (£16,077) to attend Scotland's final five matches. The Australia resident of 20 years, who watches Hearts games before work, took unpaid leave with his wife, 23-year-old son and the son's girlfriend.

"I cannot put a price on it, if it cost £100,000 it would not bother me at all," he said. Speakman never expected a title challenge but voiced doubts after Wednesday's late handball penalty for Celtic. "After last night's game and what has happened this season with decisions and refereeing, we're possibly going to playing against 12 men - 11 players and the referee," he said.

"But if Hearts show up and do the job, I'll be delighted. Hopefully we'll be defending champions and I'll be back next year when Hearts are in the same position again."

Jenny Addison held a Hearts season ticket for 20 years before moving to Auckland, New Zealand, in 2018. After more than 30 hours of travel to Edinburgh, where her dad lives, she said she would have "regretted it forever" if absent. "Win or lose, I will be in floods of tears and I wanted to be doing that in Edinburgh rather than New Zealand," she told the BBC.

She called the past 48 hours unfortunate amid refereeing controversy before the finale. "If last night had been straightforward Hearts and Celtic wins, we could have talked about how amazing this season has been," Jenny added. "It has been an absolute fairytale for Hearts."

Celtic fans match the optimism ahead of a potential 14th Premiership title in 15 years. "This is the biggest week in Celtic's season for a long, long time. We can all look forward to Saturday and I hope it's a game befitting of the occasion."