Managers' Boss Under Fire In Mackay 'Banter' Row

Cardiff City have called for chief executive Richard Bevan to resign after the League Managers Association (LMA) defended Malky Mackay's use of racist texts as "friendly banter".

It comes after the LMA apologised for the wording of the statement issued on behalf of former Cardiff manager Mackay, saying some of it was "inappropriate".

The statement was released on Thursday after Mackay and Cardiff's ex-head of recruitment Iain Moody were said to have shared racist, sexist and homophobic texts when they worked at the club.

Both men were sacked last season long before the texts came to light.

Later on Thursday, Mackay issued a statement of his own in which he admitted sending two racially offensive messages as part of what he also called "friendly banter", and apologised for any offence caused.

The initial LMA statement said Mackay had been under pressure when the messages were sent 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 and on Friday the LMA moved to address its concerns.

In a new statement, it said: "The LMA apologises for some of its wording, in its release yesterday, which was inappropriate and has been perceived to trivialise matters of a racist, sexist or homophobic nature. That was certainly not our intention

"It is beyond argument that any comments that are discriminatory, even used in private, are totally unacceptable.

"The LMA remains absolutely aware of our responsibility to the game and to promote and uphold the highest standards of behaviour."

Despite the apology, Cardiff have demanded LMA boss Richard Bevan stand down, describing his position as "untenable".

"We find it entirely reprehensible that the LMA should itself put out a statement which seeks to dismiss deeply offensive racist comments as 'friendly banter'," the club said.

Former player and manager Leroy Rosenior, a trustee of anti-discrimination body Kick It Out, has threatened to cancel his LMA membership over the original statement.

He told the BBC: "If the LMA are going back into the dark ages to support people then I might have to withdraw my support.

"If Malky did use a couple of texts, as he admits to in the statement, then I'm disappointed and I think it needs to be dealt with not as something swept over or as a bit of banter."

The LMA was also rapped by former Blackburn striker Jason Roberts, an outspoken critic of the football authorities' anti-racism measures in the past.

He tweeted: "The LMA said it better than I ever could. They are actually being serious! Somebody drafted that. WOW!"

Paul Mortimer of the Kick It Out campaign told Sky News: "What this shows is everyone in the game right down from chairmen to managers and programme sellers needs to understand the effect that these type of words can have on victims."