Celtic Park atmosphere significant factor in title race insists Kieran Tierney

Kieran Tierney has stressed the significance of the atmosphere at Celtic Park as the Scottish Premiership title race intensifies…

Kieran Tierney of Celtic
Kieran Tierney of Celtic is seen during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Falkirk at Celtic Park on February 01, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

After a supporter boycott during last weekend’s Scottish Cup victory against Dundee, a larger crowd returned for the clash with Livingston on Wednesday night.

Those in attendance witnessed a dramatic late winner from debutant Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, sealing three valuable points, especially given theRangers dropped points at Fir Park courtesy of a Stephen Welsh equaliser.

Addressing the media to review Celtic’s game against Kilmarnock on Sunday at Rugby Park,  Tierney highlighted the lift provided by a full home support, emphasising its importance as the club prepares to challenge on three fronts in the closing months of the campaign.

Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain celebrates
11.02.2026 Celtic v Livingston, Scottish Premiership. Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain celebrates after scoring the late winner at Celtic Park. Photo: Kenny Ramsay. IMAGO / News Licensing

He said via Celtic’s official YouTube channel: “As players, you want the best atmosphere. Celtic Park is famous for it, so you want the best, especially in a season like this, where it is tight, and we are chasing.

“We want the atmosphere to help us and push us on. Everyone at the stadium is trying, and I hope that, going forward, the atmosphere remains good. We want the atmosphere to help us and push us on. Everyone at the stadium is trying, and I hope that going forward, the atmosphere remains good.

“This season, the belief in the last-minute winners we have had shows that we never give up. There were more games at the start of the season where we did that, even Kelechi [Iheanacho] on his debut at Rugby Park.

Kelechi Iheanacho
Kelechi Iheanacho celebrates scoring the winner for Celtic at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock v Celtic, 14 September 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

“It shows the character. It is one of those seasons where it is going to take results like this and massive shifts in momentum. We just need to keep going.”

If you missed Sandman’s Definitive Ratings from the win over Livingston it’s well worth catching up with today.

Celtic’s attention now turns to a notoriously tough test in Ayrshire, with Martin O’Neill’s side set to face Neil McCann’s Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Sunday afternoon which is before theRangers face Hearts at Ibrox.

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About Author

A current fourth year student studying History and Journalism, Media and Communications at the University of Strathclyde and now writing regularly about the Hoops for The Celtic Star.

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