McNEIL FURY AT BENT ‘DISRESPECT’

SEAN DYCHE yesterday praised the maturity of his star player Dwight McNeil, who was dismayed by an attack on the club’s ethnicity by former England forward Darren Bent. McNeil, 20, whose father Matty is black, was unhappy when Bent tweeted — amid the heat of the ‘White Lives Matter Burnley’ controversy — that the club had no black players. McNeil replied to say that he found Bent’s comments ‘completely disrespectful’. Bent later apologised. ‘Dwight wasn’t overly happy and I thought he dealt with that very, very well,’ said Dyche. ‘He’s got very good family around him. I spoke to him about it and he was very clear-minded. He’s a very talented young player.’ The Burnley manager, whose players are expected to take a knee again before tonight’s home game against Watford, revealed that many of his players had wanted to speak out on Monday after the banner was organised by far-right extremists — one of whom, 24-year-old Jake Hepple, has been sacked from his job as a welder. Dyche decided that he and captain Ben Mee should speak on behalf of them all. Dyche said: ‘In the last five years, what we’ve achieved in the community has been nothing short of fantastic. ‘We don’t want that to be undermined by a few making a statement which is unacceptable to all. ‘It’s a small amount of people involved and I don’t think that should give a view of the town or the players. We will continue the good work we do.’ Meanwhile, Burnley keeper Joe Hart, who will become a free agent at the end of this month, has turned down an offer from League One Shrewsbury Town — his boyhood club.

WATCHING BRIEF: Burnley v Watford, 6pm, Sky Sports Premier League/Pick.