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Alan Pardew: West Brom's 'Cab Four' have apologised more than enough

Baggies boss Alan Pardew is preaching forgiveness after insisting the 'Cab Four' have paid a 'heavy price' for their actions in Barcelona.

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Alan Pardew (AMA)

Jonny Evans, Jake Livermore, Gareth Barry and Boaz Myhill have all been fined two weeks' wages after an internal investigation was completed this week.

Pardew admitted it was the one of toughest weeks of his two-decade managerial career – but says the four senior players who allegedly stole a taxi in Spain have apologised 'more than enough'.

Albion's head coach has reinstated Evans as captain for this weekend's match with Huddersfield, but he waved away the suggestion that sent the wrong message.

"He's paid a heavy price for that," said Pardew. "Trust me. It's like all things, if you make a mistake in life does that mean you are going to have to pay for it for the rest of your life? I don't think so. God teaches us to forgive.

"On this occasion I wouldn't say that he's been forgiven, but he's paid a price and he's still paying a price with you guys [the media], so he'll learn that that was an event that he deeply regrets as he lives on in life.

“Trust me, the guys have apologised more than enough. They really have. And in the right way as well, in terms of to me, to the staff, to the club, and now it's about us showing some kind of backing to them.

"We have to say: 'OK, you made a major error, come on guys, let's get on with it.' And that's where I am with it.

"Mistakes do happen and this was a serious error but we’ve got to move on.

“As senior players the only comfort I have going forward is they understand their actions.

“They made a mistake and I expect to see a response and I think I’ve had it from them on the training ground.

“Unfortunately you guys haven’t seen it and nor have our fans, but I’m relaying that message.

“I hope it reaches the pitch and it certainly would help in terms of getting the victory."

Pardew is under mounting pressure as Albion boss after off-field controversies followed a run of one win in 13 league games.

He started coaching in 1998, but admitted that the past seven days had been some of the trickiest he'd experienced.

“It's been a rough week," he said. "I would say that it's been one of my toughest weeks as a manager.

"I genuinely feel for this club and it hurts me that it's hurt so many people.

"But we genuinely went to Barcelona because we thought it would be a positive thing for us in the games that we had left, and of course it didn't turn out like that.

"Of course you know when you go on mid-season breaks, or even pre-season breaks, you can be vulnerable to something that doesn't work out. It didn't work out.

"But we need to move on and show some real courage on Saturday to make sure that we get ourselves a win.”

Gareth Barry was booed off the pitch by some Albion supporters last week following his role in the Barcelona incident and a poor performance.

"It wasn't about the way he played," insisted Pardew. "It was about the event. And we're trying to put that event behind us by our determination this weekend to get a win. Hopefully he'll be cheered off this week.”