Dyer booed at Newcastle Feature: Tough Tyne for Dyer

The gesture seems set to save the 25-year-old's St James' Park career though chairman Freddy Shepherd admitted the club had to force the issue.

"To be honest, Kieron was asked to apologise by Newcastle United Football Club," Shepherd told BBC Sport.

Dyer was jeered every time he touched the ball during England's friendly win over Ukraine at Newcastle on Wednesday.

Since I've been watching Newcastle I've never seen the fans boo their own player Chairman Freddy Shepherd

The row came after Dyer rejected the captain's armband in Newcastle's game against Middlesbrough, after previously refusing to play right-midfield.

Dyer wanted to play centre-midfield in that game, prompting the manager to drop him to the bench.

Then after he came on, skipper Alan Shearer went off but Dyer, supposedly the vice-captain, gave away the armband.

"My refusal to play in the position the manager asked me was wrong," said Dyer in a statement on Thursday. "I sincerely regret the whole incident.

"Certain players were injured and for the good of the team and the club, I should have accepted what Sir Bobby said without question.

"But, ultimately, the manager picks the team and I apologise to him and to our supporters wholeheartedly."

Fun and Games: Dyer up for sale

Shepherd admitted he had never heard Newcastle fans boo their own player before but wants the club to move forward.

He added: "Since I've been watching Newcastle I've never seen the fans boo their own player.

"But Kieron's been big enough to apologise, he's still a young man and I hope we can put it behind us. That's the end of it for us and I hope it is for the fans.

"As far as I'm concerned now, Kieron will be staying at Newcastle."

If the apology is enough for Sir Bobby Robson, it's enough for me, IF he starts performing on the pitch and justifying his wages From ET Have your say on 606

The refusal to play, and the incident with the armband, led to an outcry from the Newcastle supporters, with one disgruntled fan even putting him up for sale on the auction website eBay this week.

Both the player's agent and the club earlier denied there was any bust-up, but Dyer's apology shows there clearly was a rift.

That might have led to the midfielder leaving St James' Park, where he joined from Ipswich in 1999 for �6.5m, with Birmingham favourites.

Steve Bruce was thought to be keen on a season-long loan deal.