Blackburn: 'Sorry Sam'

Championship side Blackburn Rovers have apologised to Sam Allardyce for comments made by their former manager Steve Kean.

The apology appeared on the Rovers official website and follows comments made by Kean to supporters in a Hong Kong bar during a pre-season tour.

The conversation was captured on mobile phone video and subsequently appeared on the internet, prompting legal action from the Irons' boss.

The full apology reads:

"During the summer of 2011, Mr Steve Kean was this Club’s manager and accompanied the players of Blackburn Rovers on a pre-season tour of the Far East.

Whilst in Hong Kong, Mr Kean was in a bar and falsely alleged that Sam Allardyce, our previous manager, was sacked by us because he was a crook.

This is completely false and we apologise to Mr Allardyce for the embarrassment and distress caused to him by Mr Kean."