Scott McDonald eviscerates the Celtic stars who branded him a traitor over Helicopter Sunday celebrations

Scott McDonald has broken his silence on the stick he took from ex-Celtic players after scoring the goals that cost the Parkhead club the title on Helicopter Sunday.

The little Australian made a helicopter change direction with two swings of his boot one mad Sunday in May almost 18 years ago and has never been allowed to forget it. All McDonald did was twice put the ball in Celtic’s net in the last three minutes of the final league game of the 2004/05 season to give Motherwell a 2-1 win and deny the team he’d supported all his life the title.

The helicopter carrying the trophy to Fir Park swung away to deliver it to Rangers at Easter Road and McDonald has never been forgiven by some. He accepts that from fans; comfortable in the knowledge that all rationale goes out the window where football is concerned. But what he can’t take willingly is the stick he received from Celtic players who were on the pitch that day and criticised him for scoring and celebrating those goals.

In the latest Off The Record podcast , McDonald rounded on players such as Alan Thompson – who branded him “an absolute disgrace” – and Jackie McNamara, who wrote in their autobiographies of their unhappiness at his actions.

John Hartson, meanwhile, said: ‘Scott McDonald, calls himself a Celtic fan, runs away smoking a cigar. Absolutely killed us. If I’m a Celtic fan I’m running the other way. I don’t want the ball’.

But the seething 39-year-old said: “Look, we weren’t on a lot of money. I was on probably £300 or £350 a week. But at times we were on £500 a win. And then, because we made the top six, the club agreed to give us double bonuses for any wins that we had in those last five games. It was unbelievable, amazing money.

“So we had a lot to