YORK City manager Billy McEwan says the Clayton Donaldson transfer saga has left him "totally disillusioned with football".

The Minstermen boss said the way the 20-goal marksman's summer move to Hibernian had been handled by the Scottish club had left a "bitter taste" in the mouth.

McEwan revealed he knew nothing about Donaldson's decision to join Hibs until City's managing director Jason McGill rang him on Monday morning. And he said that learning the player would leave KitKat Crescent for nothing was "awful".

The Press reported, yesterday, that as Donaldson had moved north of the border, City had been robbed of a transfer fee for the £500,000-rated striker because Scotland is not covered by Football Association rules which insist clubs are entitled to compensation when players under 24 move elsewhere.

"The way it was done has annoyed me," McEwan said. "My chairman phoned me on Monday morning and said that Clayton was about to sign for Hibs. I said, eh?

"The agent then phoned us up and said that Hibs would give us £50,000, but we're not interested in that. So, then, they said, Oh well, we'll just sign him for nothing in the summer'.

"I wouldn't hold any player back from making progress, but it is the way it has been done."

McEwan, a former Hibernian player, "I'm disappointed that Hibs never contacted me personally. I've had no call from the manager or someone called Mr Petrie, whoever he is (Rod Petrie, Hibs chairman).

"I know he spoke to my chairman, but, out of respect, I thought I might have got a call as manager. It's been done behind my back, which I don't like. John (Collins) is only a young manager, I suppose, so he'll be a bit wet behind the ears.

"If that is the way he wants to do his business, then that is up to him.

"He might have been a great player, but he's still got a lot to learn about being a good manager, in my opinion. A wee phone call to tell me that he was going to speak to my player would have been handy.

"Nothing has been done against the rules, but it would have been nice for him to call and say All right Billy, I know your situation, but I'm going to speak to your player. It's just to put you in the picture'.

"So, from that point of view, I'm bitterly disappointed."