Roy Hodgson responds to angry Watford fan backlash after his "snub" at Crystal Palace

Roy Hodson has apologised to Watford fans for failing to acknowledge them in the dark hour of relegation but insisted: “I didn't snub them deliberately.”

As their relegation to the Championship was confirmed by a 1-0 defeat at Selhurst Park at the weekend, Hornets supporters were infuriated when Hodgson headed straight for the tunnel, waving and blowing kisses to his old Crystal Palace flock.

Many took to social media demanding the former England coach's immediate sacking because there has been no love lost between Palace and Watford fans over the last decade – a friction Hodgson has acknowledged in his pre-match media duties.

But after a fierce backlash, the Hornets head coach issued a fulsome apology – and admitted he had been accused of making a similar mistake in his short-lived reign as Liverpool manager. In fairness to Hodgson, 74, he had been denied a proper send-off from Palace after four years in charge last May because of lockdown.

It was, however, strange that a manager of his experience did not register his sorrow with Watford's 2,000-plus travelling contingent as the reality of relegation dawned. Hodgson said: “If they saw that as a snub, I apologise – it definitely wasn't meant that way, and my record is not one of going out and courting favour with fans. I didn't realise that's what I was supposed to do – I thought my job was to coach the team to win football matches and it didn't occur to me, when I was walking off, that this subject might come up. Of course, I wish I had gone over to the Watford fans as well, but I didn't so I have to accept the criticism.

“It was an honest mistake, and it must in no way be put down to me trying to identify with Crystal Palace supporters when I was just