Malky Mackay insists he is 'no racist' after offensive texts

Fresh allegations have emerged surrounding Malky Mackay, the former Cardiff manager who is accused of sending a series of racist and homophobic messages.

Having already apologised for messages published in the press - and insisted he was not racist, sexist, homophobe or anti-Semite - Mackay is now alleged to have described Cardiff's Malaysian owner Vincent Chan as a "chink".

Mackay was sacked by Cardiff last December and the allegations have cost him the chance to take over the vacant manager job at Crystal Palace.

Malky Mackay took the further step of apologising for his offensive text messages in a television interview this evening.

He admitted sending three messages, which he described as "completely unacceptable," but insisted he was "no racist" and "no homophobe".

But there is still no word from Richard Bevan, chief executive of the League Managers Association which was forced to apologise for the wording of a statement that appeared to defend the messages as "friendly banter".

ITV News Sports Correspondent Ian Payne reports:

• Malky Mackay: 'I am no racist ... I am no homophobe'

Former Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay has said there is "no excuse" for the "completely unacceptable" text messages he is alleged to have sent.

He said he would "humbly" ask people to consider whether their phone could be scrutinised without revealing "a certain amount of embarrassing texts".

He added that while more than three offensive text messages may have been found on his phone, he only sent three of them himself.

• Watch: Malky Mackay: 'I am no racist ... I am no homophobe'

Malky Mackay has insisted he is "no racist," "no homophobe" and "no anti-Semitic" after offensive text messages he is alleged to have sent were revealed.

The former Cardiff City manager said he was under "immense pressure" at the time the messages were sent, but admitted "it should not have happened".

• More: Malky Mackay: 'There is no excuse' for offensive texts

• Watch: Redknapp defends Mackay: 'He is not a paedophile'

Cardiff have called for League Managers' Association (LMA) chief executive Richard Bevan to resign following his organisation's defence of Malky Mackay's use of racist texts as "friendly banter".

The Welsh club accused the LMA being "complicit in the attempt to conceal these messages" and claimed it had "strongly encouraged and advised Mr Moody and Mr Mackay to deal with the issue directly with the FA".

A statement on the club's website said:

The League Managers Association has apologised for the statement it released yesterday regarding Malky Mackay, saying some of the wording "was inappropriate and has been perceived to trivialise matters of a racist, sexist or homophobic nature".

A highly placed source at Cardiff City told ITV News that they are "extremely disappointed with the League Managers' Association statement, belittling highly offensive comments as banter."

Earlier today England star Rio Ferdinand tweeted to ask "Who wrote the #LMA statement???"

The LMA released a statement on behalf of former Cardiff manager Mackay on Thursday night after the 42-year-old Scot and Iain Moody were alleged to have shared racist, sexist and homophobic texts when they worked together at the Welsh club.

The initial statement said Mackay had been under pressure at the time of the messages and that he was "letting off steam to a friend during some friendly text message banter".

That statement has been widely criticised by anti-discrimination campaigners within the game, and the LMA today felt compelled to apologise for how the first release had been worded.

QPR manager Harry Redknapp offered a bizarre defence of under-fire former Cardiff manager Malky Mackay, saying: "He hasn't murdered anyone, he hasn't raped anyone and he is not a paedophile."

Mackay and his former head of recruitment Iain Moody are alleged to have shared racist, sexist and homophobic texts when they worked together at the Welsh club.

The League Managers Association has apologised for a statement yesterday which defended offensive text messages sent by Malky Mackay as "friendly banter."

A new statement issued this morning said:

Former England striker Stan Collymore has described the League Managers' Association's statement which says Malky Mackay's offensive text messages were part of some "friendly banter" as being "f****** disgraceful".

The LMA released a statement on behalf of former Cardiff manager Mackay on Thursday night after the 42-year-old Scot and Iain Moody were alleged to have shared racist, sexist and homophobic texts when they worked together at the Welsh club.

Collymore tweeted: "LMA statement. F*****g disgraceful. Institutional acceptance of the "banter" of casual racism.

Former Manchester United and England captain Rio Ferdinand has questioned a managers' union statement which defended offensive text messages allegedly sent by Malky Mackay as "friendly text message banter."

The former Cardiff City manager and ex-head of recruitment Iain Moody had been accused of sending "sexist, racist and homophobic" text messages during their time at Cardiff.

But a statement on behalf of Malky Mackay issued by the League Managers' Association has since been criticised by a number of parties including an anti-racism group.