LEIGH Griffiths, the Celtic striker, has paid tribute to the Aberdeen, Hearts and Rangers fans who have sent him messages of support since he went public on the “pathetic and vile” internet abuse he has been subjected to.

Griffiths issued a statement on Twitter on Sunday night after an online troll called @FaZeJmbno posted: “I hope your 4 kids die”. Police Scotland yesterday confirmed they are investigating the incident after receiving a complaint.

However, the 25-year-old last night revealed he would be coming off the social networking website altogether after receiving another threatening message, which mentioned his children.

The Scotland international, who has found himself in the news as much for his off-field exploits as his performances on it throughout his often controversial career, revealed the attacks had upset the mothers of Kacie, four, Rhys, four, Layla, four, and Jacob, two.

But the former Hibernian player revealed that he had been touched by “heartwarming” backing from Celtic supporters as well as followers of rival clubs – including Aberdeen, Hearts and Rangers.

“It is not nice to see,” he said. “I have banter with opposition fans and I get criticism when I am due it and praise when I am due it. But that is towards me and me only. To bring my kids into it is pathetic and vile. They don’t do anything to hurt anybody.

“I might be hated for 90 minutes when I am on the football pitch, but I am not arrogant. I do everything I can to help people. I have done charity work. Last season I offered to help the wee Hearts fan whose house got broken into. I offered to pay for some of his Christmas stuff.

“When you see this sort of stuff on Twitter it is not very nice. Regardless of whether they hate me for 90 minutes or not as a football player I am still a human being. My kids don’t do anything to hurt anybody.

“Because these people sit behind a computer or a phone they somehow think they have the right to abuse people. If we do it to somebody else we get scrutinised so why shouldn’t they? It is difficult at times. I have said before that Twitter is a good place to interact with fans. You get a bit of banter and it is enjoyable. But when that stuff comes across it is horrible and hurtful.

“It’s not just hurting me, it’s hurting the kids’ mums as well. They weren’t very happy with the stuff that was getting commented on and even my mum as well. People are writing on their statuses. I just want to forget about it and concentrate on my football and let the police deal with it now.

“I didn’t do it for publicity. I just want everybody to know it is hurtful and has to be dealt with. People can’t get away with saying stuff like that. It is not just for me, it is anybody. I wouldn’t wish it on any professional footballer or any individual. For somebody to say

I hope your four kids die is disgusting.”

Griffiths added: “But the response I have had from not just Celtic fans, but fans from all over Scotland is heartwarming and I just want to say a special thanks to them because it is touching. Believe it or not, the most fans who have commented on it have been Rangers and Hearts fans.

“Obviously the Celtic fans who follow me on Twitter have been giving me their support. But Rangers, Hearts, Aberdeen and Motherwell fans have all been supportive. I want to say thanks to them. It is nice to see.”

Speaking at the draw for the William Hill Scottish Cup, where Celtic were drawn to play Greenock Morton in the quarter finals, Griffiths revealed that he expected Aberdeen to challenge strongly for the Ladbrokes Premiership.

The Pittodrie club drew level with the defending Scottish champions – who were in Scottish Cup action on Sunday – on points at the top of the top flight table with a 4-3 win over St Johnstone at home on Saturday.

Ronny Deila’s team, who lost 2-1 to Derek McInnes’s side away from last week, have a game in hand and Griffiths stressed that he fully expects them to win it and then go on to land their fifth consecutive title.

But asked about the threat posed by Aberdeen, he said: “I expect them to go the distance. They have proved it twice. They have beaten us up at Pittodrie twice. “I think when they had that little blip in October or November we really should have put a bigger gulf in points at the top of the table, but we didn’t and that is credit to Aberdeen. They came back and it is very tight again.

“But I fully believe in the squad we have got and, regardless of the title push that Aberdeen are giving us, I fully expect us to be champions at the end of the season.”