Hours later he was facing new allegations, though, when further damaging messages alleged to have come from him were published by the Daily Mail.

Mackay has come in for a wave of criticism after his former club Cardiff submitted a dossier to the Football Association regarding his conduct and that of ex-head of recruitment Iain Moody.

The 42-year-old Scot engaged in sending what have been reported as discriminatory, mocking texts during his time at Cardiff with Moody, with the controversy apparently costing him the chance to get back into management with Crystal Palace, who were understood to be readying his appointment but are now looking elsewhere for their next boss.

“Out of 10,000 text messages in and out of someone’s phone I sent three and that being the case, looking at them they are completely unacceptable, inappropriate and for that and for any offence I’ve caused I sincerely apologise for that,” Mackay said.

The former Watford boss, who was sacked by Cardiff in December last year after months of speculation, is fully prepared to seek help for his behaviour, and has not given up hope of managing in the future.

“It’s certainly something I’ve been involved with, speaking to my union, asking them about equality and diversity training and it’s something I’ll be going forward with,” he added.

“These are testing times, make no mistake about that. But I’ve got values and resilience and I’ve got a love for British football and I will come back from this.”

The fallout from the scandal has been huge, with the League Managers’ Association receiving severe criticism for their handling of the situation after initially defending Mackay’s actions as “friendly banter”.

Cardiff issued a damning statement on Friday, demanding LMA chief executive Richard Bevan step down from his role, with the Bluebirds also irate that the body questioned the timing of the report being made public.

Despite the LMA issuing an apology for the “inappropriate” wording of their initial statement, the damage may have already been done to Bevan with Cardiff continuing to maintain his position is “untenable”.

In a statement issued via the club’s law firm Mishcon de Reya, Cardiff said: “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’.

”If that is the view held by the LMA, as appears from its statement, we consider that Richard Bevan’s position is untenable and we call for his resignation.”

Responding to the LMA’s implication that the club had timed the release of the text messages dossier to scupper Mackay’s expected appointment as Palace manager, Cardiff added: “That the LMA has sought to criticise the club for the timing of the report to the FA is preposterous, because the offensive communications have been in the knowledge and possession of the LMA for many months.”