Whelan says sorry for scrap

Whelan is sorry for his spat with Cahill

Millwall striker Noel Whelan has apologised for his on-field scrap with team-mate Tim Cahill.

Whelan exchanged shoves with Cahill in the first-half of a frustrating game against his former club Coventry.

The former Leeds striker said: "It was a moment of stupidity on my part, my behaviour was unacceptable.

"The fans were right to criticise me and I am apologising in public because it was not possible to do that on the field."

Whelan, who joined from Middlesbrough on a free transfer during the summer, added: "It won't happen again. I have learned my lesson.

"Tim and I are both passionate people and it was a passionate game.

Within five minutes we were laughing about it and apologising Millwall striker Noel Whelan

"We were all frustrated at not having the best of halves. But sometimes I get a bit too passionate and we started arguing amongst ourselves.

"I went too far. I was maybe frustrated at myself because the game was not going according to plan.

"Within five minutes we were laughing about it and apologising. He felt terrible because I was getting the grief from the fans, too.

"The last thing I wanted to do was upset the fans because they play a big part in my game and Millwall's. I hope they can put it down to passion and I can put it behind me."

Whelan is currently Millwall's joint top scorer, on three goals with three others - Bob Peeters, plus Neil Harris and Paul Ifill, who scored the goals in the 2-1 win over the Sky Blues at The Den.

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