Hibernian midfielder David Wotherspoon revealed his shock at hearing manager John Hughes had left Easter Road.
Hibs have not won since the opening day of the season and the 2-0 defeat by St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park on Saturday, which left the visitors joint second-bottom of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, proved to be the final straw with the Leith club announcing that they had parted with Hughes "by mutual consent".
However, Wotherspoon, with the Scotland Under-21 squad preparing for the European Championship play-off against Iceland to see who goes through on to next summer's finals in Denmark, insists he had no idea that Hughes' tenure was coming to an end and he said: "It is a real shock to me. I thought he would be there for the long run."
He added: "Paul Hanlon had been on Facebook and the Hibs website to see if the rumours were true and they were. We tried to contact some of the boys and they said the manager came in on Monday morning and said that he and coach Brian Rice were off.
"It was obviously a sad occasion for them.
"After the St Johnstone game, there was disappointment and upset, as there had been for the last six games or whatever.
"But there was no change in mood and nothing to indicate that this was going to happen so it came as a real surprise to me."
Source: PA
