Gillespie apologises for plane punch-up

AFP - 14 September 2007 23:10

Northern Ireland winger Keith Gillespie, seen here in 2006, apologised Friday for his part in an in-flight fist fight, blaming the brawl on a missing passport.

BELFAST (AFP) - Northern Ireland winger Keith Gillespie apologised Friday for his part in an in-flight fist fight, blaming the brawl on a missing passport.

Sheffield United's Gillespie traded blows with West Ham defender George McCartney on Thursday as the team were about to depart Reykjavik for London after their 2-1 Euro 2008 qualifying defeat to Iceland.

Other players quickly intervened to pull the pair apart and cabin crew staff reported the incident to Northern Ireland manager Nigel Worthington.

Irish Football Association (IFA) president Raymond Kennedy said Friday the governing body was investigating the ruckus as a matter of urgency.

Gillespie, capped 78 times, admitted the dustup was unacceptable.

"It was an unsavoury incident," Gillespie told Ulster Television.

"Certainly it won't be happening, as far as I am concerned, again. I apologise to the management, staff and the fans because it is something that shouldn't have happened. Unfortunately it did.

"Hopefully we can put this to bed and get on with playing football.

"It was really just a misunderstanding over a lost passport," he explained.

"George and I had words and there was a coming together but the whole incident was finished within two to three seconds.

"I've texted George and have told him no hard feelings," he added.

Gillespie scored a last minute own-goal to hand Iceland victory. Four days earlier, Northern Ireland lost 1-0 in Latvia. The results dented the unfancied side's chances of qualifying for the 2008 European Championships.

IFA chief Kennedy told the Belfast Telegraph newspaper: "We will deal with this incident very quickly and I expect to speak to Nigel Worthington about it first thing.

"I will not be shirking my responsibilities when something like this happens.

"It really was the final straw from what was a terrible trip with two defeats when we all expected so much more.

"You don't expect something like this to happen at any level of football, never mind after an international."