Manchester City chief executive Garry Cook resigned yesterday amid a storm over an email in which he appeared to mock the cancer-stricken mother of a player, a statement said.


Garry Cook

Cook stepped down from his post with the Premier League club following an internal investigation into the circumstances surrounding an email sent to Dr Anthonia Onuoha, the agent and mother of City player Nedum Onuoha. Cook had denied that he sent the email, claiming someone hacked into his email account.

However Cook's resignation was confirmed yesterday following an internal investigation by City. "The club can confirm that there is a foundation to Dr Onuoha's allegations and the chairman has written to apologise to Dr Onuoha for any distress caused," a statement said.

In an email sent to Marwood last October, she said that, although her body was "ravaged with cancer and ongoing chemotherapy", she was still able to fight her son's corner. Two weeks later she received an email, apparently written by Cook but destined for Marwood and sent to Dr Onuoha by mistake.

The Sun claimed: "The e-mail was addressed 'Brian' then said: 'Ravaged with it!!......I don't now how you sleep at night. You used to be such a nice man when I worked with you at nike.'"