Soccer-Contrite Allardyce 'deeply disappointed' at shock exit

LONDON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Sacked England manager Sam Allardyce has tendered a "wholehearted apology" to the Football Association (FA) for embarrassing the governing body and is "deeply disappointed" at his shock exit following a newspaper sting. The 61-year-old was sacked on Tuesday for seeking a lucrative sideline role while talking to undercover reporters from Britain's Daily Telegraph. The paper said it had hundreds of pages of transcripts from the meeting in which Allardyce was negotiating a deal worth 400,000 pounds ($520,840) to represent a Far East firm seeking advice on the transfer market. "It was a great honour for me to be appointed back in July and I am deeply disappointed at this outcome," Allardyce, who replaced Roy Hodgson after England's dismal Euro 2016 campaign, said in a statement on the FA website. The former centre half who built his managerial reputation by getting the best out of unfashionable or struggling clubs met FA chairman Greg Clarke and chief executive Martin Glenn and offered a "sincere and wholehearted apology" for his actions. "Although it was made clear during the recorded conversations that any proposed arrangements would need the FA's full approval, I recognise I made some comments which have caused embarrassment," he said. "...I was asked to clarify what I said and the context in which the conversations took place. I have co-operated fully in this regard. "I also regret my comments with regard to other individuals," he added. Allardyce won his only game in charge of England, a 1-0 World Cup qualifier triumph in Slovakia earlier this month, and he will be replaced by under-21 coach Gareth Southgate for the next four matches as the FA searches for a successor. (Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; Editing by John O'Brien)