Furious Fans Walk Out Of McDiarmid Park With Everyone Saying The Same Word
St Johnstone supporters were left visibly frustrated at McDiarmid Park as Celtic edged ahead in a tense Scottish Premiership encounter, with the mood inside the stadium changing dramatically after Mika Baur broke the deadlock.
What had initially been a competitive night in Perth quickly turned into a nervy affair for the home support, with Celtic finding the crucial breakthrough and putting St Johnstone under increasing pressure.
For supporters who had watched their side begin the game with genuine hope after a positive start to the season, the sight of Celtic celebrating in front of them was a painful one.
And as the match entered its closing stages, frustration around McDiarmid Park became increasingly noticeable.
Celtic strike the crucial blow
The match began with St Johnstone attempting to make home advantage count against a Celtic side that arrived in Perth with a perfect league record.
Celtic had won their opening five Premiership matches and entered the fixture top of the table on 15 points, while St Johnstone had collected seven points from their first five matches. (SPFL)
The Saints also had reason for optimism.
They had beaten Hibernian 2–1 at McDiarmid Park just days earlier, with Josh Fowler scoring twice, and were looking to make it consecutive home victories.
Instead, Celtic eventually found the breakthrough.
Mika Baur reacted quickest in the second half, converting from close range after Haissem Hassan created the opportunity with a low delivery across the face of goal.
It was Baur’s first goal for Celtic, and it immediately changed the atmosphere inside McDiarmid Park. (The Scottish Sun)
For Celtic, it was exactly the kind of moment they needed.
For St Johnstone, it was a bitter blow.
“This is beyond…”
As the clock continued to tick away, the mood among sections of the home support became increasingly tense.
The frustration was understandable.
St Johnstone had already demonstrated this season that they were capable of competing with strong Premiership opposition, and their victory over Hibernian had given supporters renewed belief.
But against Celtic, the Saints were being forced to chase the game after conceding the opening goal.
And that is where the phrase “This is beyond…” began to capture the mood surrounding the stadium.
Supporters leaving their seats and making their way away from the ground reflected the disappointment of a home crowd that had expected more from the night.
The reaction is likely to dominate conversations among Saints supporters long after the final whistle.
A night of frustration for the Saints
One of the biggest frustrations for St Johnstone will be that the game remained within their reach for so long.
The first half ended goalless, meaning Simo Valakari’s side went into the interval knowing that they were still very much alive in the contest.
Celtic had opportunities, but St Johnstone managed to keep the score level.
That made Baur’s second-half goal even more significant.
Suddenly, every missed opportunity, misplaced pass or unsuccessful attack became magnified.
The Saints needed a response.
But Celtic were determined to protect their advantage.
Celtic’s new faces making an impact
The victory has also highlighted the growing influence of Celtic’s summer arrivals.
Baur was one of the players who arrived during Celtic’s major summer recruitment drive, and his goal provided another early sign of the attacking options available to Martin O’Neill.
Haissem Hassan also played a major role in the decisive moment, providing the low delivery that allowed Baur to finish.
Celtic’s summer business has significantly increased competition for places, and O’Neill had already indicated before the match that selection decisions were being driven primarily by the need to win games rather than simply giving newcomers minutes. (The Scottish Sun)
That mentality has clearly been reflected in Celtic’s start.
Five wins from five had already put them at the summit before this match, and a victory in Perth would extend that perfect domestic league record.
St Johnstone’s challenge now
For St Johnstone, the result will hurt, but the bigger picture is more complicated.
The Saints were not expected to dominate Celtic.
Instead, the realistic objective was to make the game uncomfortable for the league leaders and take advantage of any opportunities that came their way.
For long periods, they did exactly that.
Their recent form also demonstrates that there are positives to take.
Before facing Celtic, St Johnstone had beaten Hibernian 2–1, drawn 1–1 with Dundee and suffered a narrow 2–1 defeat away to Hearts. They had seven points from their first five league matches. (ST Johnstone Chronicle)
So while losing to Celtic would be disappointing, it does not erase the progress made during the opening weeks of the campaign.
The concern for supporters is more about how the side responds.
Celtic looking ahead to another huge fixture
For Celtic, the importance of this match goes beyond another three points.
The Hoops have started the domestic campaign perfectly and are attempting to maintain momentum ahead of a demanding run of fixtures.
Their previous league match saw them come from behind to defeat St Mirren 2–1 in Paisley, with Liam Scales and Yang Hyun-jun scoring after Celtic had fallen behind. (The Times)
That result kept Celtic five points clear at the top of the table going into the St Johnstone fixture.
Another victory would reinforce the impression that O’Neill’s side are quickly establishing themselves as the team to beat.
But the biggest test could be waiting just around the corner.
Celtic are due to face Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final, making every minute for returning players and every decision surrounding squad rotation increasingly important.
The atmosphere tells its own story
Football supporters are emotional creatures, and few things change the mood of a stadium quicker than a goal against the home side.
McDiarmid Park had every reason to be optimistic before kick-off.
St Johnstone were coming off a home victory.
Celtic were arriving as league leaders.
And the Saints had already shown that they could compete.
But once Baur found the net, the atmosphere changed.
The home supporters suddenly needed their team to produce something special.
Instead, Celtic’s experience and quality allowed them to protect the advantage.
That is why the reaction from some supporters was so strong.
For those who had travelled to the stadium expecting a major performance, watching their side fall behind against the champions-elect was always going to be difficult.
“This is beyond” may become the lasting reaction
Whether the frustration ultimately turns into anger or simply disappointment will depend heavily on what happens next.
St Johnstone still have plenty of football ahead of them this season.
But supporters will demand a response.
The Saints have already shown they can win at McDiarmid Park.
They now need to demonstrate that the Celtic defeat is not going to derail their momentum.
For Celtic, meanwhile, this was another opportunity to demonstrate why they sit at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
And if they hold on to their advantage, they will leave Perth with something far more valuable than another three points — the belief that this Celtic side can grind out results even when the performance is not spectacular.
As the final minutes ticked away at McDiarmid Park, one thing was becoming increasingly clear: the home supporters were not happy.
And the words being repeated around the stadium summed up the mood perfectly:
“THIS IS BEYOND…”
For St Johnstone, the only answer now is what happens next.