• Manchester City chief executive denied claims
• Club investigation finds 'foundation' to allegations
The Manchester City chief executive Garry Cook has resigned his position at the club in the wake of allegations he sent an email to Nedum Onuoha's mother, Dr Anthonia Onuoha, who has cancer, ridiculing her illness. Cook initially denied sending the email, which was supposed to be going to City's director of football, Brian Marwood, and claimed his email account had been hacked into. He also claimed the culprit had been dealt with.
However, after an investigation by Manchester City into the claims, they have confirmed "there is foundation to Dr Onuoha's allegations". As a result, the club have accepted Cook's resignation who has now admitted to an "error of judgment".
Cook said: "I am privileged to have held my position at Manchester City and to have experienced the opportunities that it has presented. The privilege is in part offset, however, by the significant personal focus which has at times detracted from the magnificent achievements of those working at the football club.
"It is that factor, together with my error of judgment in this matter, that has prompted me to reach this decision, which I believe is in the best interests of the football club."
The claims relate to correspondence involving Onuoha's mother, who looks after all her son's contractual arrangements, and Marwood about a dispute in October last year. Dr Onuoha had previously sent a message to Marwood and Cook, explaining that while she was "ravaged with cancer" it would not prevent her negotiating on behalf of her son.
She then received an email from the club addressed "Brian", which stated: "Ravaged with it!! … I don't know how you sleep at night. You used to be such a nice man when I worked with you at Nike. G."
Dr Onuoha told the S*n: "When I opened my emails and saw the message, it was the worst day of my life, even worse than being diagnosed with cancer. I couldn't understand how anybody could behave like that. I just cried and cried for hours. I'm critically ill and at that point I was undergoing chemotherapy. I was just so shocked but I couldn't tell Nedum or any of my family because I didn't know how they would react."
More text and excuses at the
First denial, then a resignation. What a classy cupcake.