Motherwell striker Scott McDonald has blasted the Aberdeen fans who taunted former Fir Park manager Mark McGhee last month as the Steelmen gear up to return to Pittodrie today.

McGhee was sent to the stand during the 7-2 drubbing, and a video of him reacting angrily to abuse he subsequently received from the Dons support went viral.

While McGhee may now have moved on from Fir Park, the feeling of resentment around his treatment that night still lingers for McDonald, who has branded the episode as embarrassing for the Aberdeen support.

“It’s the only environment that someone would come out and say the words they did to him,” McDonald said.

“Whether it’s Aberdeen, Celtic Park or Ibrox, I don’t care where it is. It’s not labelling one set of fans but all fans think it’s okay to give their tuppence worth.

“We can’t react and if we do it’s ‘how dare you! You are role models!’ Which is fine.

“We have to play by those rules but in terms of respect it was poor what the person said. It was embarrassing for him and his support.

“They think they are gutsy doing it with a camera behind him but if you walked past a person in the street would he be brave enough to say it? I think not! And that’s the disappointing thing in society. It’s not just in football.

“In society, people use social media to become a lot braver. If they were walking down the street in a normal society they would be minding their own business and walking straight past you. It’s disappointing.

“Sometimes you take it, sometimes it’s hard but I don’t think he did anything wrong. He had an argument with the referee. He didn’t argue with the people in the stands but then they stuck a camera in his face.”

If the treatment of their former boss the last time they visited Pittodrie is a bone of contention for the Motherwell players, it is nothing compared to what happened on the pitch that night.

McDonald wasn’t playing in that match, but he senses a determination within Fir Park to set the record straight.

“I wasn’t there last time but we want to put it right,” he said.

“I think there are amends to be made. Not even just for that result but for the results since the winter break.

“It’s not been great and we need to get going. We need to start picking up points where people don’t expect us to.

“That’s what other teams around us have been doing and we need to do the same. Three points would be more than welcome.

“The mentality is excellent. It was a much-needed win last weekend and it’s lifted our spirits after a heavy defeat then losing our manager.

“It was a real tough week to get by but we showed character, grit and determination. When you go 1-0 down away from home, doom and gloom sets in and you think ‘oh here we go, we are in a real battle until the end of the season.’

“But in fairness to Steve Robinson, he shook it up at half time and we got the positive result."