Ex-Rangers manager Stuart McCall has hit back at Ian Black - branding him a "bitter little man" after the midfielder claimed he was told to "go home" before a crunch game.

Ian Black claimed he was left out of Rangers' promotion push after McCall got the big job and recalled the explosive moment he lost all respect for the manager.

He told how he was ready to put his kit on for a playoff game against Motherwell when he was pulled aside and told he wouldn't feature.

And he claimed young midfielder Andy Murdoch - who was starting ahead of Black in the team at the time - only played because "his aunt cut McCall's hair".

READ MORE: Former Rangers hero Stuart McCall sacked as Scunthorpe manager 

But, speaking to Daily Record, McCall sniped back at Black and labelled his comments "embarrassing" - insisting things didn't play out as Black had told.

McCall said: "Black’s comments are disappointing because they are lies. 

"Ian is sounding like an angry and bitter little man here. The whole haircut thing is just embarrassing."

He added: “In the lead-up to the Motherwell games Ian had hardly been involved. He was never going to feature in the play-off as I felt we didn’t need an extra defensive midfielder on the bench.

READ MORE: Former Rangers man Ian Black signs for Shrewsbury Town 

"He never really showed any respect for Murdoch either and he was one of our better players. Maybe he couldn't accept that."