NEIL LENNON has shown solidarity with a man he was once at war with while in Edinburgh as Hibs boss as he defends Craig Levein after his sacking this week.

The Tynecastle boss was relieved off his duties on Thursday after another defeat in the SPFL leaving them just off the foot of the table.

Levein and Lennon weren’t the best of friends with their Edinburgh rivalry getting heated at times with Levein once claiming the natural order was for Hearts to beat Hibernian.

Now sitting as the Celtic boss once again, the Irishman has sympathy for the Hearts man who took a lot of abuse from the support for the results this term.

“I am very sorry for Craig. I know how much he put into the job.” Lennon told CelticTV.

“Obviously the results weren’t what were probably expected for Hearts.

He was a good football guy and gave everything for the club over the last 20 years.

“It leaves a bitter taste in the mouth the way some people have reacted or treated him in the past few weeks but he has kept his dignity and I wish him well for the future, whatever he decides to do.”

It was Neil Lennon who prevented the former Scotland boss from winning his first trophy in football when Celtic came from a goal behind to beat Hearts 2-1 in May to lift the Scottish Cup and smash the treble treble.

Not many Celtic supporters will be bothered by Levein’s exit, he did try and antagonise when he could.