Ex-Norwich City boss Alex Neil has slammed the disgraceful way his one-time Canaries' academy coach Graeme Murty was treated at Rangers.
Murty arrived at Carrow Road during Neil's tenure in 2015 but was dismissed by the Ibrox giants last month, after stepping up from his development post.
Murty was unable to halt Celtic's domestic dominance with two humiliating defeats in the league and cup sealing his fate.
Neil guided Preston to the brink of the Championship play-offs this season but admitted he would not tolerate being undermined in the same public fashion.
'I think how he got dealt with towards the end for me was probably what left a bitter taste in most people's mouths,' said Neil, with Rangers' top brass widely criticised for issuing a statement on the eve of a thumping Old Firm cup defeat.
'I thought the statement that came out totally undermined him before a big match. I thought that was really poor.
'After that, the club suspending two players – as a manager, if players are getting suspended, it should be by you. When a club makes the decision that weakens your position again.
MORE: Have your say on our Pinkun forum
'Also, to add insult to injury, to stop you talking to the press, that again made him look really weak. For Graeme, that was really harsh.'
Neil, speaking to the Scottish Herald, also reflected on his first dealings with Sir Alex Ferguson during his Norwich spell, with the Manchester United legend still in intensive care in Salford after suffering a brain haemorrhage.
'It was just a well done (after the Wembley play-off win) and some advice about going forward in the Premier League,' said Neil.
'It's always a nice touch because he didn't need to take time out of his busy schedule to speak to me.
'The fact I didn't know him up until that point was excellent for me.
'He's the Godfather of English football.
'Everything down there is linked through him in some sort of way. Any coaches, whether they are going through good times or bad, he's the one you go to for advice.'
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here