Martin O'Neill now claims had the roles been reversed and Hearts fans ran on to the pitch he would have accepted that as well

Martin O'Neill was slammed for defending Celtic ’s title-winning pitch invasion back in May.

But five months on, the Hoops boss insists he stands by every word.

O’Neill came out swinging in defence of his club's fans after thousands flooded onto the turf following Callum Osmand’s iconic 98th-minute goal in the dramatic final-day title decider.

Dejected Hearts players were goaded, while furious Tynecastle chiefs later released a statement insisting the chaotic scenes “embarrassed Scottish football.”

But in an interview with old radio chum Jim White on talkSPORT, O’Neill branded the criticism as “nonsense” and insisted the uproar had been over the top.

Ref Don Robertson also came under fire for ending the game as punters streamed out of the stands - but it later emerged the final whistle had gone with Derek McInnes’ blessing.

O’Neill was instrumental in masterminding one of the most remarkable title comebacks in Scottish football history.

And whatever way outsiders frame the celebrations, the Northern Irishman ranks that day among the best of his illustrious management career.

But the veteran still rejects the notion that Celtic’s stunning five-in-a-row triumph was tainted by full-time scenes.

Hearts return to Glasgow’s east end for the first time since that crushing finale tomorrow afternoon.

And O’Neill said: “I think it was one of the great days. Listen, whatever happens this year, you can't take that away.

"It was fantastic and to me it was up there with any moment in my managerial time.

“I've often said about how it finished and the answer is I'm happy how it finished. Listen, we won it. We won it.

“And Derek's comments when the sound thing was picked up, he said he told the referee to blow it up.

"So I was asked by Jim White ‘Did it tarnish things?'. Well, not for me. It didn't, honestly. I thought it was fantastic.

“We cleared the pitch. People thought it was half an hour before we cleared the pitch but it was in less than three minutes at the end of it all.

"If I turn around and say to you one more time, if this is the last time that the crowd invades the pitch for a moment like that, anywhere in the world, I'll be really surprised.”

O’Neill was panned from all angles for defending the pitch invaders live on national radio.

But the 74-year-old has no regrets.

He said: “I don't care. I couldn't care less. I think I say too much at the end of the day.

"But absolutely not. If Hearts had won and their away fans had come onto the pitch - I'm telling you now, and it's easy for me to say this - I would have accepted that there because it's the first time they would have won the league for years and years and years and the euphoria of doing that there would have been there.

"Of course. And would we have been disappointed? Absolutely, to lose on your own pitch as well. All of those things.

“But if you take the bigger picture at the end of the day, if they had won - and they were very, very close to doing it - and their crowd had come on to celebrate with their players that is something I would have accepted.

"It’s easy me saying that, but that's how I feel.”

O’Neill was captured consoling shellshocked dugout rival McInnes at full-time before Hearts players and staff rushed down the tunnel and made a beeline for their bus back to Edinburgh.

But he revealed the pair have never discussed the fallout from that historic weekend.

He said: “No. The only time I have seen him since was in our matches [vs Rangers].”

Hearts will be gunning for revenge when they return to Celtic Park tomorrow, knowing victory would cut the gap on the Premiership leaders to just two points.

New boss Wouter Vrancken will also be looking to pile more misery on the Hoops in the wake of their woeful 4-1 hammering by Benfica in Lisbon on Thursday night.

Celtic shipped three goals in a disastrous first half, but O’Neill is clinging to the positives after his side’s spirited response following the break.

Despite failing to pick up a point from their opening two European games, O’Neill remains confident his beleaguered troops can still reach the knockout stages.

He said: “It was always going to be a difficult game. We could have crumbled and we didn't. I take encouragement from that.

"I really do, genuinely, from the way the side played in the second half. It was more like us.

"It was tough. I knew it was going to be a tough game. It's not bravado, I just feel as though we can still make it, if we win our home games.”

Struggling £11million man Kasper Hogh could be axed after extending his goal drought to a staggering 13 games for club and country.

The out-of-sorts Danish striker hasn’t scored since his stunning hat-trick at Rugby Park in August.

He did come agonisingly close to ending his barren run in Lisbon, only to be denied by the woodwork.

But O’Neill is refusing to give up on his record signing.

He added: “That would have been nice if he'd scored that goal. Because at the end of it all centre forwards or strikers live or die by goals.

"They really do. And if you're not scored for a while and you miss the opportunity

“That was a good chance to score on Thursay night. But overall, over the course of the season, I think he'll be absolutely fine.

"At this minute, he just needs a goal because it does give you a big boost of confidence.”