Palace youngster apologises for Facebook gaffe

CRYSTAL PALACE youngster Ashley-Paul Robinson has apologised for embarrassing his club via social networking website Facebook, after it was revealed that he mistakenly replied to a friend on his own wall and updated his status without using the word 'is'.

Robinson made his first mistake when he replied to a friend's message of "safe ash, u still up for pro evo?" with the posting "yes" on his own wall. He realised his error quickly and tried to defuse the situation with a bashful status report, but only compounded his agony by forgetting that Facebook no longer inserts the word 'is' automatically, writing "Ashley-Paul Robinson very sorry 4 his mistake".

Eagle-eyed Palace fans were quick to spot their young player's error, which was broadcast to anyone in Facebook's London network, rather than the Promising Young Crystal Palace Starlet network Robinson had intended to communicate with. croydon_dave_1990 wrote on one Eagles' messageboard: "This is so typical of the big-time Charlie attitude of today's spoilt young footballers.

"Like so many others, Robinson obviously thinks he's entitled to forego the basic rules of grammar, and doesn't have to conform to the same standards as the rest of us with regards to social networking wall-posting etiquette. I blame the Bosman rule."

But Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock has defended his midfielder: "He's a young lad and is still learning," he said. "He has all the raw materials: excellent applications; fantastic photo captions; and amusing religious views – apparently he can 'see a church from his bedroom window.' Ashley just needs to knuckle down and get some more experience, the step up from Bebo can be very tough."

It is thought that Warnock has spoken more harshly to Robinson in private, relegating him to the dial-up computers in the Selhurst Park IT suite and docking him two weeks access to the 'Jeremy Clarkson should run for Prime Minister' group.