Derek McInnes once called Neil Warnock a "c***" before a big game, claims one of his former players.
Greg Stewart played for the Rangers manager at both Aberdeen and Kilmarnock, and it was a game between the pair while a the latter that prompted the surprising outburst.
The sides played back-to-back in the league and cup and it as advantage Killie after the first game, by beating them comfortably at home. However, Warnock said the media the outcome was down to playing on the artificial surface at Rugby Park.
That fired McInnes up for the following weekend and he attempted to use it as fuel for his players too.
Stewart told Open Goal: "I was at Kilmarnock at the time and we played Aberdeen in the league on the astro and we absolutely battered them, like tore them apart. So after the game, Warnock came out and said basically like Kilmarnock are only good because of the astro and all that.
"Next week we were playing them in the cup and that - 'we'll show them. We'll show them what a real game on the grass is and all that.' We honestly, battered them right, at Kilmarnock. I can't remember if it was three or four nil.
Read more
The Rangers player who's responding well to criticism and main selection dilemma
Rangers discover Lawrence Shankland injury fate as captain faces lengthy absence
"So Del's obviously seen the interviews and that he's cooking all week, absolutely raging. So we travel up the Friday. Obviously worked on our stuff and that. Travel up the Friday for the game on the Saturday and we've got a meeting the night before, just like video analysis in Aberdeen.
"So we're waiting outside the room and then the coach came in, right boys, in you come. We walk in. See the big whiteboard and big bold capital letters "Neil Warnock's a c**t."
"He's just started like obviously getting up the interview and that just tried to fire us up for the next day."
Asked if McInnes is always good with the players before a game, Stewart added: "He's good. He's a good man-manager and gets in about you like before the game.
"He'll come to you, speak to you and then motivate like a big motivator.
"He'll always find something. If something happens in that week with the opposite team or a player says something or something happened from two years ago, he'll remember it and just, just gets you that fire in the belly man, it's weird how he can do it."
Share