Kilmarnock assistant manager Paul Sheerin claimed boss Derek McInnes was in a “horrible situation” after being subjected to the anger of a number of visiting fans during a 3-0 defeat at Motherwell.
Supporters sang anti-Hearts songs before moving on to more personal chants about McInnes after he confirmed both clubs had agreed a deal for him to move to Tynecastle.
That switch is expected to be confirmed early next week but McInnes is first due to be in the home dugout when Hearts visit Rugby Park on Sunday.
By the sounds of many travelling fans at Fir Park, that could be an extremely awkward afternoon for the former Aberdeen manager.
Sheerin said: “It’s just a horrible situation the way it fell. The timing of it, he can’t get away from that, but I think he’s dealt with it brilliantly. He’ll continue to do that until things change, I’m sure he will.”
On the chants, Sheerin added: “It’s disappointing, but fans will be fans. It’s one of those things, I think it’s sometimes expected.
“I’m biased, I think he deserves a lot better, but that’s easy for me to sit here and say.
“He’ll be gutted by it, I know he’ll be gutted by it, because he has given his all to the club.
“Unfortunately, football moves on and things happen in the game. You get opportunities and they’re too difficult to turn down sometimes.
“As much as he’ll be disappointed with it, he knows what he’s done for this club. It’s been nothing short of incredible to get them where they are.
“We’re all frustrated with this season. We all wanted to be in the mix again for Europe, but for different reasons that’s not happened. But he’s done brilliant here, he really has.”
When asked if McInnes would still be in the dugout on Sunday, Sheerin said: “He’s our manager, we want him front and centre where he needs to be.”
There was a far more positive potential farewell from the Motherwell fans, who gave Lennon Miller a standing ovation after the 18-year-old was substituted seconds after setting up Luke Armstrong’s second goal of the night in the 86th minute.
The midfielder is expected to move on this summer with clubs from home and abroad interested in a transfer.
Motherwell boss Michael Wimmer said of the applause: “This was only the reason why he had to get subbed, because you don’t change Lennon Miller in this game.
“He deserved the applause, and I was sure that he’d get the applause.”
Armstrong netted either side of Callum Slattery’s goal during a nine-minute flurry of goals as Motherwell dominated the second half following a 29th-minute red card for Killie defender Robbie Deas, who brought down Miller as he ran through on goal.
“We needed to pass quickly, to find the half-spaces, to keep the intensity high, to press high,” Wimmer said.
“We got a lot of opportunities. In my opinion, it was only a matter of time when we scored the goal.”
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