Watch: Craig Counsell mercilessly booed by Brewers fans upon his return to Milwaukee (video)

The homecoming reception for Craig Counsell went about as everyone expected. Brewers fans greeted their former manager with a rousing rendition of boos.

The Brewers played a 30 second tribute video prior to the lineup announcements thanking Counsell for his many years as a Brewers player and manager. The fans immediately started booing and they did not stop there.

Fans waited patiently for Counsell to be announced as the last name as part of the intros and the moment they have waited months for finally arrived and Counsell was booed without mercy. Here's the video:

Counsell was not well received. After he shunned the Brewers and bolted 90 miles south for the Cubs job, many Brewers fans circled this date on the calendar.

Counsell's laughing in the dugout, which is an interesting reaction itself to getting booed by his former hometown crowd. Prior to the game, Counsell said that "it's not [his] job to tell people how to feel". He had to have known that this was the reception he was going to get.

This opens a four game series between the NL Central rivals at American Family Field. The Brewers hold a 3.5 game lead over the Cubs entering play on Monday.

Along with Counsell getting the loudest boos of the day during introductions, when it was time for the Brewers lineup intros, the one who got the loudest cheer was manager Pat Murphy.

Murphy and Counsell denied any animosity between them and they remain in a good relationship even though they're now rivals. They also acknowledged that the emotions from the fans are real.

"I've seen a very different side of Craig. So, you know, I think that you have to keep it business. Like this is important to a lot of guys in there. It's important to this community, so we have a job to do, we have a responsibility and that's it... Just show up and compete and I don't think it's time to be sentimental, we owe it to the players in there to be on track" Pat Murphy said.

The coaching staff and players have a different relationship with Counsell than the fans do. That much is clear by the merciless booing Counsell received during Monday's introductions and will continue to receive the rest of this series and likely every series against the Cubs moving forward.