Jamie Vardy admits he regrets the incident where he called a fellow casino-goer a "Jap" - but insists he's not a racist.
In August of last year the Leicester striker was caught on camera repeatedly referring to a Japanese customer at a casino as "Jap".
Vardy went on to apologise unreservedly for the incident but admits now that he fears many will never forgive him.
"The word ‘racist’ is a permanent stain against my name. It’s worse than a criminal record," he says in his autobiography being serialised in The Sun.
Vardy admits "he likes a scrap" but has defended his actions claiming that the use of the word was said out of ignorance and nothing more.
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"I like a drink and enjoy being Jack the Lad," he adds. "I can be a pain in the a***. But one thing I’m not, and never will be, is a racist."
He adds: "I was angry at the time and I’d had too much to drink but I’d never have used the word ‘Jap’ if I’d known it was racist."
