Harsh! Simon Cowell’s dig at Niall Horan will ENRAGE Directioners

When Niall Horan decided not to sign with Simon Cowell's record label after going solo, we imagine he knew he'd be in for a few sly digs along the way.

And, unsurprisingly, Mr. Cowell did not disappoint in this department.

After hearing that our favourite Mullingar man had only reached number 9 in the UK charts with his first solo offering, This Town, the music mogul decided to twist the knife a little bit.

"He probably would have had a Number One single if he'd stayed with me." Simon remarked.

And just in case that wasn't enough to enrage Niall and his die-hard fans, Simon went one step further by reminding the public who did, in fact, nab the top spot this week.

"But you know who does have a Number One this week? James Arthur. Very pleased he's back with us with a fantastic record. Hashtag loyalty," Simon jeered.

Jeez Simon, how dya really feel?