GARY Madine was axed from the Wanderers squad to face Birmingham City last night after refusing to apologise for a foul-mouthed blast at his manager Neil Lennon.

The Wanderers boss confirmed after his side were beaten 1-0 at St Andrew’s that the striker faced internal disciplinary measures.

Madine is understood to have exchanged X-rated words with Lennon after the Whites let a late goal slip against QPR on Saturday.

The former Sheffield Wednesday man was ordered to train with the academy after attempts to clear the matter failed the following day.

It is not the first time the pair have exchanged angry words, with television cameras picking up another spat in a game against Brentford in November.

Lennon had no target men in the squad last night and was forced to play Darren Pratley up front alongside Zach Clough for the latter stages, as his side slipped seven points from safety.

But the Wanderers boss was unrepentant after the final whistle, insisting he could not have tolerated the player’s behaviour.

“It’s an internal matter,” he said. “He has to look at himself because he has let himself down and the club down.

“No player is bigger than the club and there are certain parameters and principles that you set.

“We have dealt with it the best way we felt we could.”

Lennon added, however, that Madine could yet return to the squad for this weekend’s home game with Burnley.

“It’s possible he could come into our thinking for the weekend,” he said.