Striker Steve Guinan has been sacked by Cambridge United as a result of certain events at last Monday's Sporting Dinner, while team-mates Neil Mackenzie and Scott Eustace have been fined the maximum of two weeks' wages and have received written warnings about their future conduct.

Former Nottingham Forest man Guinan joined on a free transfer on Christmas Eve last year and was under contract only until the end of this season as he tried to earn a longer term contract. Midfielder Mackenzie joined the club earlier this season in a deal worth £40,000 - the biggest fee paid by the U's for over six years - and has a contract until the end of next season, but Eustace (right) is also in the position of hoping to earn an extension to his current one year deal.

This morning Roy McFarland told the Cambridge Evening News - to whom he gave the statement he promised on local radio after Saturday's defeat - that firm action was particularly necessary because the incident took place at a function in the ground while the players were representing the club.

"If the term is, make an example, then that's what I've intended to do because these players set a very bad example by their behaviour at our dinner," he said. "Things go off all the time at football clubs, in training and when players are away, as happened with Leicester City recently. But what made this incident so much worse as far as I'm concerned is that it took place on our premises, in front of our supporters and sponsors. It was totally unacceptable.

"Steve Guinan was what you might call the main culprit which was why he was sacked, while Scott Eustace and Neil Mackenzie have been sent letters warning them there will be no future for them at Cambridge United if anything like this happens again."

While most players were seated with sponsors and guests, a few were placed at a table together and that was where the trouble occurred. McFarland, who was not at the function, would not give details of what happened but chairman Reg Smart spoke to me last week and revealed that the players had had "a lot to drink" and their behaviour had been "unacceptable". There are many rumours doing the rounds of which the ones of rowdy behaviour and food throwing are among the most agreeable.

It is reportedly the toughest disciplinary action taken against United players in the club's 29 year League history, and McFarland said after Saturday's defeat that that events at the dinner had upset the dressing room and affected the performance. He added in today's CEN interview that he wanted to apologise to the guests, some of whom contacted the club after the dinner to complain, but was not interested in any words of apology from the players concerned.

Neil Mackenzie made an apology via the U's Net message board on Friday when he commented, "I along with a few other players acted in a totally unacceptable manner and for many people ruined a good night. We also made a complete spectacle of ourselves and I can only speak for myself in saying that I deeply regret my actions and behaviour towards people."

He concluded, "I apologise for my actions and have let myself, the people at the dinner and most of all my manager down, especially when he had faith enough to bring me to the club in the first place."

McFarland stated today, "The two remaining at the club have to show by their actions from now on that they are sorry. They have upset people who were at that dinner to help Cambridge United, and I believe what went on had a bad effect on our build-up to Saturday's match against Wrexham, it affected the atmosphere in the changing room.

"In our situation we need to concentrate fully on the job. We lost an important game 4-3 at home, and now we have to make up for that at Luton tomorrow night."