Celtic left feeling blue
Rangers clinched their 50th title with a 6-1 Ibrox thrashing of the Pars, which was enough to pip Celtic who had won 4-0 at Kilmarnock on goal difference.
Sutton insisted pre-match claims that Dunfermline would "lie down" had been proved true and questioned the professionalism of Jimmy Calderwood and his players.
But McLeish was having none of it and he reminded everyone that similar claims had been made in the aftermath of a heavy win for Celtic when Dundee came to Parkhead earlier in the month.
He said: "You can say the same about Dundee and Celtic but I don't believe that. I don't believe for one minute that Jim Duffy was not a proud manager and I'm sure Jim was hurt by that.
"Dunfermline were dangerous. How can you say that they lay down? I know Jimmy was angry at losing the way he did.
"He will want to redress the balance next season. No chance did they lie down today, no way.
"They played five in the midfield, one up front and there was a definite plan there to stop us penetrating and scoring goals.
"If Celtic were playing at home today and we were travelling away to Kilmarnock then we would have expected Celtic, with the crowd behind them, to have scored goals.
"They have gone to Kilmarnock and won 4-0 so I have got to ask Chris did Kilmarnock lie down?
"I would say that knowing Jim Jefferies and Billy Brown, give the teams credit, Chris. Give Rangers credit and give your own team credit.
"It has been a great fight and unfortunately in this great battle there had to be a loser."
Rangers had taken an early lead through Michael Mols but that was soon cancelled out by Jason Dair's strike.
However, Claudio Caniggia, Shota Arveladze, Ronald de Boer, Steven Thompson and Mikel Arteta then sealed an emphatic win for Rangers although there had been a point when Celtic were ahead in the title race on goal difference.
Indeed, the moment de Boer made it 4-1 Henrik Larsson hit a post at Rugby Park.
McLeish admitted fears that the title could swing out of his side's grasp had been very much in his mind.
He said: "I was aware very aware that Celtic were on top at one point. We did say to the players "we need to score".
"We started the second half and had to be patient, start again and we finally got a breakthrough.
"We got a wee break after when Thompson managed to score.
"But with the season Celtic have had and the spirit they have showed I couldn't rule them out at that stage."
Martin O'Neill, meanwhile, insisted last night that this was his most memorable season at Celtic despite finishing a thrilling campaign empty handed for the first time in his three-year tenure.
His Parkhead side dragged themselves off the floor to beat Kilmarnock 4-0 at Rugby Park after their UEFA Cup defeat by Porto in Seville on Wednesday.
But that did not stop Rangers wrestling the trophy from their grasp with a 6-1 win over Dunfermline at Ibrox to claim the Bank of Scotland Premier League title on goal difference.
O'Neill was unable to add to his treble and championship success in previous years, but the Northern Irishman still insisted that this was the season he will remember.
"I can't imagine we'll feel the same heartbreak again," said O'Neill.
"But we won the treble in my first season and the league last year, but this is the most memorable season I can imagine.
"We have won the league twice and we got 97 points this time, but Rangers won it on goal difference. But you must give my players credit for that.
"It's nonsense to compare teams to ones in the past, but the boys have been absolutely brilliant without a doubt."
The former Leicester manager could not ask for more from his players and he felt the whole of Scottish football should be proud of them after an epic 60 matches.
"It was heartbreaking but you've got to take it," added O'Neill. "The team have been superb all season.
"We carried the SPL flag in European final and coming back to play in the championship games here as well to carry right through to the final day."
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