INSIDERS HAVE REVEALED THEORY ON WHY CELTIC BOSS BRENDAN RODGERS GIVEAWAY HIS SCOTTISH CUP MEDAL FOLLOWING SFA MIX-UP

CELTIC were stunned as Aberdeen beat them on penalties to lift the Scottish Cup.

And boss Brendan Rodgers and one of his players had a strange surprise immediately after the game too.

Celtic had taken the lead through Aberdeen defender Alfie Dorrington’s own goal, but Dons hit back when Kasper Schmeichel also turned into his own net.

Jimmy Thelin’s side managed to take the game through to extra time level and eventually to penalties, where Dimitar Mitov’s saves from Callum McGregor and Alistair Johnston and five perfect kicks of their own won Aberdeen their first Scottish Cup in 35 years.

McGregor and Johnston were emotional after the defeat, and the Hoops players were despondent as they climbed the Hampden steps to pick up their runners-up medals.

But there was a surprise in store as, by the time final player Adam Idah and boss Rodgers reached the presentation platform, there was only ONE medal left between the pair of them.

The presentation party, including SFA president Mike Mulraney, appeared to skip over Idah and hand the medal to Rodgers, gesturing that there was only one left.

Mulraney also seemed to suggest to the striker that he would get a medal elsewhere.

Rodgers then offered the medal to Idah, who refused, and the pair left the stage to allow Aberdeen their moment of triumph.

This is Rodgers’ first Hampden defeat, having won all seven of the Scottish Cup and League Cup finals he had contested before today.

He was also attempting to enter the Celtic record books as the first Parkhead boss to win a treble of trebles.

Legendary European Cup-winning boss Jock Stein twice won trebles with Celts, and Rodgers had matched the feat in his first two seasons in charge.

He was required to console captain McGregor after the shootout.

Hoops goalkeeper Schmeichel, after having allowed Dons back into the game with his blunder, also hugged the tearful McGregor.