KIERAN TIERNEY has opened up on the abuse he had to endure after leaving Celtic for Arsenal.

The former Parkhead hero left his boyhood club for the Emirates in a £25million move last summer.

Celtic fans were split by Tierney's decision to leave and the Scotland international has told of his heartbreak when reading some of the abusive messages he recieved after he made the switch south. 

Speaking on Open Goal, he said: "It was just sad the way it ended. People turning and all that.

"Some people make it out to be what it's not and it's not that at all.

"Weeks before when Arsenal had bid people were like that 'you're a rat if you go, you're terrible, you're never a Celtic fan.

"I'm like 'this is breaking my heart reading this' and as soon as this gets announced it's going to blow up.

"And the worst thing I did when it got announced was go on Twitter. [There were] thousands of tweets, threats and all sorts.

"When I went home two days later after signing, there was spray paint on the walls, 'Judas' outside my bit."

Tierney also revealed that he was looking for a new flat in Motherwell prior to his Arsenal deal being agreed, as he didn't think it would go over the line.

He continued: "Me and Tom Rogic were injured and he was asking if it was happening and I said 'don't think so mate'.

"And honestly I was looking at flats round about my area because I was thinking about moving out and I'd went with my mum and my mate to go see this place and that place. This was the day before, a couple of days before.

"And I told everybody 'this is off, it's not happening.' Then I got the call to say 'Celtic have said you can go, they've got what they want for you.

"And that's when I was down at the park. It was mental, it's a blur.

"I was on the flight near enough greeting to my agent like 'what's happening here? I'm getting it stinking. This is going to be my family's life forever, me known as what these people are making me out to be.'

"They don't know half of it, they just assume everything and they don't know."

When asked if he had returned to Parkhead, Tierney added: "No, I'm scared!"