West Bromwich Albion chairman Jeremy Peace has explained the decision to sack Nicolas Anelka last season.
Speaking for the first time publicly about the decision to cancel Anelka's contract last March, Peace told of how the striker's refusal to apologise over his controversial 'quenelle' gesture led to his dismissal from the club.
He told the Express & Star: "It was such a huge issue for the club in terms of our standing. We got Nicolas in here with his advisers. Richard Garlick (Albion's technical director at the time) was dealing with him.
"I was in my office in the room next door. I said I want him to say 'I am sorry to all these people.'
"They tried to draw up a statement. There was a mealy-mouthed paragraph and I said (to Garlick): 'He hasn't apologised, get him to apologise.'
"It was quite clear he wasn't going to so, bang - out. Right, sever the contract, cut it. It was gross misconduct, because of the damage he'd done.
"It struck me he was a man of few words, but an intelligent man. He should have apologised.
"I feel extremely strongly about that because of the damage (he caused) to everyone, to the community he affected, the embarrassment he caused to the club.
"We stand for diversity. I watched that team (of Regis, Cunningham and Batson). I know Cyrille and Brendon. Hopefully we've been seen to deal with it properly."
