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The former Premier League referee was sacked in December after two videos emerged online.

Coote was initially suspended after footage showed him calling Klopp a “German c***”.

He was dismissed by the PGMOL after a month-long investigation into the video.

His most recent match came a month before he lost his job as he refereed Liverpool’s Premier League clash with Aston Villa.

Coote spoke out for the first time since his sacking during an emotional interview with The Sun, during which he came out as gay.

And turning his attention to the Klopp video, he explained “I want to apologise to anybody who I've offended by my actions.

I recognise that they fell well short of standards that are expected of a top level referee and I deeply regret saying what I said.

“I deeply regret that I found myself in that position.

The comments are not reflective of my views of any of the individuals concerned or my wider views in general.”

The video in question was recorded during the Covid pandemic in 2020, with Coote insisting he “was not sober” when it was filmed.

It was posted to social media last autumn before the official was suspended by the PGMOL.

Coote added: “The football industry is really tough for everybody who’s involved.

We don’t have the emotional release of scoring a goal or winning the game.

“I’m a human being who made a mistake in a moment that I now deeply regret.”

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