Benito Carbone today issued a heart-felt apology to his fans and team-mates and promised: I won't be any trouble again.
Carbone held up his hand for his actions after he refused to accept a substitute's role in Bradford City's match against Preston on Tuesday.
The Italian star was yesterday fined £80,000 - two weeks' wages - by the club and severely warned about his future conduct.
Carbone admitted he was in the wrong but said his reaction was through frustration and not any desire to quit Valley Parade.
Speaking exclusively to the Telegraph & Argus, he even revealed his dream of one day taking over as City's captain.
Carbone said: "I went crazy because I wanted to do something for the team and I didn't feel I could do that as substitute. I wanted to be out on the pitch.
"Now I just want to say that I'm sorry to everybody. What I did was wrong but it was only one mistake and I have learned from it.
"Of course it is wrong for a player not to sit on the bench. I'm paying for that because the club have fined me and I accept that.
"But it was one mistake and I have nothing against anybody. I've never given trouble to anyone here before, I have been at Bradford City for a year and a half and always been professional.
"I'm not a villain. I love this club, the fans and the players and they love me. We are a big family unit.
"If I didn't want to play for Bradford I would tell the manager. What happened on Tuesday was because I was frustrated.
"I had returned to Bradford and after training for one week with the new manager I thought I was starting the game. I had not played for the wonderful fans for a long time and I wanted to be out there.
"I felt that I couldn't give anything to the team if I was not playing so I preferred not to be a substitute. I accept now that was wrong but I've nothing against the manager.
"There was a lot of frustration in my head. Andy Tod is a fantastic person and we can go anywhere together but for me he's still a defender.
"And when I saw the manager leave out one striker, Juanjo, and put another two as subs while playing Tody, a centre-half, up front - that is what frustrated me. But it's the manager's decision to pick the team and if he says Tody is a striker then I understand and accept that.
"My reaction was because I'm a professional footballer who just wants to play football. When the fans sing my name I want to be out on the pitch, it is a big emotion for me.
"I want to show everyone that I've not come back to do funny things - I'm very serious about doing my best for Bradford.
"I had a dialogue with the manager before the game and then I stayed to watch it. Some people said that I left the ground, but I was there. At half-time I went into the dressing room to talk to my team-mates and try to help them and I was cheering them all the time.
"I don't want to give anybody trouble and what has happened has finished now. I've made one mistake and now I will start again to work for this club and give 110 per cent.
"When I signed for Bradford it was for four years and I want to stay until my contract finishes. I will respect that."
As he relaxed in the front room of his luxury home in Leeds, Carbone underlined his commitment to City - which includes an ambition to succeed Stuart McCall as skipper.
He said: "I've said to the chairman I would love to be captain of this club. I like the responsibility of such a big job and think it would make me stronger.
"Stuart McCall is a big player and a big captain and I don't want to take it from his hands. But if the chance came I would love it.
"When I was in Torino and Naples I liked the responsibilty and I was captain in Naples when I was 22. For me it's another step up."
But Carbone's immediate intention is to kill off any threat of being dragged into the relegation picture. And he does not fear a fight for survival.
"Do not worry, we have the quality and the fans can trust the players here. There is myself, Ashley Ward, Stuart, Eoin Jess, big players with good careers - we won't finish the league 17th in the table.
"And if the manager puts me as a sub at Grimsby tomorrow it's no problem. I won't make the same mistake twice.
"What happened on Tuesday is in the past and I want the fans to know there is no problem. We'll come back again together."
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