Hull City goalkeeper Steve Harper believes manager Steve Bruce is still upset with the way he was treated by this weekend's opponents Sunderland.
Bruce was sacked when the crowd turned against him after a home defeat against his former club Wigan.
Harper said: "I would think he still hurts from that sacking. Certainly given the job he did, getting them to tenth in one season.
"The next year there was a difficult half dozen games, he'd lost his star striker.
"I think if he wasn't a Newcastle fan as a kid he might not have got the sack and that is a shame. "Steve's was a good record. If you look at what has happened since it stands up even better as well."
