KILMARNOCK defender Alex Bruce and Hibernian manager Paul Heckinbottom had an incredible expletive-ridden bust-up after their Premiership match at Rugby Park.

As Bruce spoke to the daily newspapers outside of the media room, Heckingbottom walked past and twice called his former Sheffield United team-mate a diver; a reference to the penalty decision which won the game for the home side.

This infuriated Bruce then followed Heckingbottom into the media room when the player called his accuser a “f****** p****” with the Hibs boss responding by doubling down by saying that Bruce was a “f****** diver.”

Bruce then returned to his media duties after making it plain his disgust that anything was said in public.

The Kilmarnock man said: “I think that lacked class. He’s an old team-mate of mine and I expected better of him. If he had something to say to me then he should have done it in private.

“I’m certainly not a diver, that’s for sure. The referee actually said to (David) Gray at the previous corner to keep his hands off me.

“It was blatant at the previous corner. It was in my mind that if he is going to put his hands on me again then he will give the decision. He had his hands on me again and the referee gave the penalty.

“It was a big goal and an important goal for us as it turned out.”

Heckingbottom has been prickly in recent weeks when talking to the media. He almost walked out at the start of a press conference after the recent derby when asked to expand on comments he had made to the BBC about wanting to smash the teeth of the fourth official.

Asked about the Bruce incident, he said: “We go back as we played with each other. We know each other well. I know him and he knows me.

"You can interpret it how you want. I don’t think he has dived, you can see that. It’s not a penalty although we got what we deserved. “