Back in the frame: Micah Richards has won a recall to the England squad

'I think it's something that, from my point of view, wasn't appropriate at the time. To bring that up, and the timing of it, I found quite sad, and I felt sorry for Paul because I know him and his family would have been chased for comments as well at the time.

'That's as it is, really. Obviously I do everything I possibly can in regards to anti-racism campaigns when asked.'

Then asked about Terry, who lost the captain's armband while allegations of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand, which he denies, are ongoing, Pearce said: 'It's something not worth me commenting on at this stage, to be honest. That's something that's gone before and obviously that's something that's going to be dealt with in the summer.'

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