"I’m disappointed with some of the stuff aimed at me on social media since we made the decision," MacAnthony said on his 'Hard Truth' podcast. "Aaron Mclean saw some of it and rang me to ask ‘who in their right mind wouldn’t want a re-energised Darren Ferguson in charge of those players?’. He reckoned it was the perfect scenario and he was someone who was once sacked as a coach by Darren!
"I have to say Grant and Cliff took the news in classy fashion by thanking me for the opportunity. It was important to me to look them in the eye to tell them as too often I’ve been in the States when managers have left and I don’t feel comfortable letting people go in those circumstances.
"I gave Grant and Cliff and everything they wanted, but it just didn’t work out. It always hurts when you let good men with families leave, but it’s the old cliché of football being a results business. They have been compensated financially and they will be back in work within five minutes.
"We have kept the rest of their staff on."