Thornton speaks about his lie-in

Sleepy-head Sean Thornton has been telling the Irish media about his unexpected lie-in last Saturday morning - and his even more unexpected 90 minute sit in the stands while the rest of his colleagues played against Nottingham Forest.

Thornton and Jeff Whitley room together on away trips, and both players missed the bus to the squad's Saturday morning training session in Nottinghamshire, then found that manager Mick McCarthy had decided to punish them by dropping them for the team's first division opening fixture.

Thornton said today, "I was a spectator in the stand.

"It was awful because I know I could have helped the side and got stuck in with them. But the manager did not include me because I let him and my team mates, and our brilliant supporters down.

"He was right to exclude me, but it doesn't help when you've lost."

McCarthy was quick to draw a line under the episode after the match, stating "It's finished with now - it's done."

Both Thornton and Whitley are expected to be involved in tonight's Carling Cup match at Mansfield Town.