Gillespie apology after NI brawl

N Ireland players Keith Gillespie (left) and George McCartney

Northern Ireland footballer Keith Gillespie has apologised for being involved in a fight with a team-mate on a flight home from Iceland.

Gillespie said his bust-up with George McCartney, as the Northern Ireland team headed home from Wednesday's defeat, was "unacceptable and unsavoury".

The winger has contacted McCartney to draw a line under the incident.

"It shouldn't have happened. Certainly it won't be happening, as far as I am concerned, again," Gillespie said.

Interview: Northern Ireland FA chief Howard Wells

He told UTV: "As I said before, 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."

Trouble flared between the two players before their Icelandair flight returned from Reykjavik to Heathrow on Thursday, prompting the Irish Football Association to investigate the incident.

Gillespie, who scored an own goal in the 2-1 defeat which dented Northern Ireland's hopes of qualification for next year's European Championships, said the flare-up was the result of a misunderstanding.

"It was really just a misunderstanding over a lost passport.

I've texted George and have told him no hard feelings Keith Gillespie

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

"Players came in and pulled us apart.

"The incident has obviously been sensationalised somewhat by most of the press but certainly I don't have a problem with George."

Gillespie has been capped 78 times for Northern Ireland.

He acknowledged that as a Northern Ireland player he was there to represent his country and the Irish Football Association, and that such an incident was not acceptable.

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

"It was was one of those things. These sort of things happen in football, on training pitches all the time but obviously this being on an aeroplane, things were a little bit different."

The Irish FA has said that it will investigate the incident but chief executive Howard Wells has already welcomed Gillespie's apology.