Celtic have launched a furious response to the Scottish FA after their appeal against a Scottish Cup stadium ban failed to overturn the punishment that will lock supporters out of Celtic Park.

The Hoops have successfully removed the threat of a second stadium closure, but their next home Scottish Cup fixture must still be played behind closed doors.

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Celtic wasted little time in making their feelings known, releasing a strongly worded statement on Thursday evening.

The club said: (Celtic FC Website), “While we recognise that our appeal has been partially upheld, we remain extremely disappointed by this excessive and disproportionate punishment relating to an incursion by supporters at a moment of emotion and celebration.”

Celtic then delivered perhaps their strongest criticism of the disciplinary process.

“It continues to be our view that a false equivalence has been drawn in relation to the very different actions of two groups.”

The disorder followed the Hoops’ penalty shootout victory over Rangers in the Scottish Cup quarter-final on 8 March.

Supporters from both clubs entered the pitch, but the independent review conducted by stadium safety consultant Mark Blackbourne identified important differences in their behaviour.

The review described Celtic supporters entering the pitch “in jubilation”, while the movement of the Union Bears was characterised as “reactionary, confrontational, and overtly threatening”.

Celtic have never attempted to justify supporters entering the field of play, but they believe those differences should have carried considerably more weight when punishments were decided.

The club added: “We have not defended supporters entering the field of play and understand the part emotion plays in football. We would have expected this context and the very obvious distinction in behaviours to have been recognised.”

There is another significant part of Celtic’s case that makes the outcome particularly frustrating.

The incident occurred at Ibrox, where Rangers were responsible for the stadium’s safety arrangements.

The independent review identified shortcomings in those arrangements, including concerns over how the risk of a pitch invasion had been assessed.

Yet Celtic will still face the punishment of playing a Scottish Cup match at their own stadium without supporters.

The club questioned that decision directly.

“Additionally, the fact that Celtic Football Club had no responsibility for stadium safety arrangements also seems to have been disregarded in establishing these sanctions.”

That is a substantial criticism from Celtic, who believe their status as the visiting club and the different circumstances surrounding the pitch invasion have not been properly reflected in the final punishment.

The appeal has at least removed the suspended second stadium closure and an accompanying £100,000 compensation payment.

Rangers have also had their appeal partially upheld, with their immediate stadium closure remaining in force and their suspended additional sanctions removed.

The Hoops are defending the Scottish Cup they lifted in May, yet their next home tie in the competition will take place without the people who followed them to Hampden and celebrated that success.

Celtic have accepted that supporters should not enter the pitch. What they continue to challenge is whether the SFA has delivered a punishment that fairly reflects what happened at Ibrox, who was responsible for stadium safety and the differences identified in the independent review.