Premier League

Mackay: Text messages 'regrettable'

ESPN staff

August 21, 2014

Malky Mackay looked certain to take over at Crystal Palace © Getty Images

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Malky Mackay is "very concerned about seriously inaccurate and misleading reports" in the media and has said he will fully co-operate with any FA investigation, though the League Managers' Association also said text messages sent during Mackay's employment at Cardiff were "regrettable".

The LMA put out a statement on behalf of Mackay after the FA confirmed it was investigating a dossier sent by Cardiff reporting sexist, racist and anti-gay comments by the former Cardiff manager and head of recruitment, Iain Moody.

The Daily Mail published examples of the explicit text messages, though it was unclear who precisely is responsible for many of the messages.

In the LMA statement, Mackay accepted responsibility for two of the messages, but offered an excuse that "he was letting off steam to a friend".

The statement read: "In the course of a search by the club in early 2014 of 10,000 private text messages sent to and from another member of staff during Mr Mackay's employment at Cardiff, in relation to other matters, it emerged that Malky had, it seems, sent a couple of one line texts that were, with the benefit of hindsight, very regrettable and disrespectful of other cultures.

"These were two text messages sent in private at a time Malky felt under great pressure and when he was letting off steam to a friend during some friendly text message banter. That said, Malky believes he could and should have conducted himself better on these two isolated occasions. The precise details need to remain private for the time being until any FA process is complete."

However, the statement also noted "seriously inaccurate and misleading reports of his alleged involvement in these matters in the media".

"It has never been alleged that he wrote any homophobic or sexist messages and he has confirmed that he did not do so," the statement continued. "Further, there are incorrect and damaging suggestions that he sent a whole host of offensive and unpleasant messages that are simply not true and which give a grossly distorted and unfair view of Malky's involvement in this matter."