Notts County owner Alan Hardy apologises after inadvertently tweeting intimate image

Hardy posted a screenshot of an abusive tweet from a disgruntled fan, but Twitter users quickly noticed his phone’s camera-roll of recent photos was showing an intimate image

Alan Hardy is under pressure as owner of Notts County (Getty Images)

Notts County owner and chairman Alan Hardy has apologised after inadvertently tweeting a picture of his penis.

On Sunday morning Hardy, who dubs himself ‘Big Alan’, posted a screenshot of an abusive tweet from a disgruntled fan, but other Twitter users quickly noticed his phone’s camera-roll of recent photos was showing an intimate image.

Hardy, who has a reputation for blunt interactions on social media and is under increasing pressure with the club at the foot of League Two and facing a possible relegation from the Football League, apologised for the image, before vowing to delete his Twitter account “in the best interests of the football club, my family and myself”.

“This morning an inappropriate photo appeared in one of my tweets,” Hardy wrote. ”This was clearly an honest mistake as a result of my camera roll being included in a screenshot. I tried to rectify the error by deleting the tweet as soon as I noticed and I apologise for any offence caused.”

He added: “Thank you to everyone who continues to support me through what has been a very difficult time. Later this evening I will be deleting my account as I feel this is in the best interests of the football club, my family and myself.

“I have always seen Twitter as a way of engaging with supporters and monitoring ways we can improve as a club. I do, however, accept I have made mistakes on social media and feel now is the time to leave for good.

“Thank you once again to everyone who is sticking by us. I will continue to communicate with you all via official club channels. Alan.”