Aberdeen duo Michael Paton and Zander Diamond have apologised for comments regarding Protestants posted on a social networking website at the time of the Pope's visit to Scotland last month.
Ex-Dons skipper Diamond reportedly said on Facebook that the Pontiff was "running over Prods in his Popemobile" while Paton reportedly said: "Gees a shot o popemobile...sort out these prodies." Paton claimed to be "ashamed" in an apology on the club's television channel, RedTV.
"I'd like to start off by apologising to anyone I've offended, hurt by comments on facebook," he said.
"I want to put it across that it was a little bit of banter from me and one of my close friends who is Protestant.
"My page is private, the conversation was supposed to be private. I don't know how it got out there.
"I'm ashamed that it's out there and people have seen that. I don't want them to judge me in that way.
"My father is a Protestant and he's not taken any offence to it. He knows me and my friend so he knows that it is a bit of banter and I just hope that I've not caused any stress to anyone. I just want to apologise."
Diamond also spoke to the club's television channel, saying: "I've let myself down, my family and the football club as a whole.
"It was a stupid comment to make. I have a lot of close friends and family who are Protestant, it was never meant to get blown out of proportion.
"It was a tongue-in-cheek comment which these days you can't really say. It is an apology. There was no malice whatsoever."
Source: PA
