SEAN Dyche hopes people will accept Andre Gray’s apology for homophobic tweets as ‘authentic’ as the Burnley star was last night hit with a misconduct charge by the Football Association.

Striker Gray released a statement saying sorry and asking for forgiveness after the social media posts from four years ago came to light on Saturday evening.

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The 25-year-old, who had just scored his first Premier League goal in the 2-0 win over Liverpool, said: “I was a completely different person to the man I am now. I was at a very different point in my life back then - one that I’ve worked hard to move on from.”

But the FA yesterday charged him in regard to the posts which appeared on his profile while he was a non-league player.

If found guilty, Gray could face a fine or suspension in line with previous misdemeanours.

In June, Coventry’s Chris Stokes was handed a one-match ban for homophobic remarks he posted on Twitter a month earlier. Michael Ball, Federico Macheda and Ravel Morrison were all fined for similar comments made in 2012, the year Gray’s posts were published online.

A statement from the FA said: “Burnley’s Andre Gray has been charged with misconduct in respect of social media comments made between January 9, 2012, and March 11, 2012.

“It is alleged the comments were abusive and/or insulting and/or improper and/or brought the game into disrepute contrary to FA Rule E3(1).

“It is further alleged that these breaches include reference to an ‘aggravating factor’, namely, sexual orientation and/or gender and/or colour and/or race contrary to FA Rule E3(2).

“The player has until 6pm on Wednesday, August 31, to respond to the charge.”

Hours before the charge was revealed, Clarets boss Dyche said the striker ‘has moved a long way in his life’.

He said: “We spoke on Saturday evening and he made it clear what he wanted to do with it and how he wanted to conduct his statement.

“It was authentic to him and I thought it was very clear.

“He has moved a long way in his life and he made that clear with an apology and also to remind people, ‘Look, (it was) four years ago and I’m a different person now’.

“A lot’s gone on in his life to get to where he’s got to and I think he made that clear and I hope people will realise it was authentic because it was.”

On disciplinary action, the Clarets boss said: “That’s something that’s out of my control - I can only look at the way he’s conducted himself in his time with me.

“I can’t look at every inch of his life, but when he’s around me, the team, the community, he’s a changed man from four years ago.

“It’s tough - how far do you go? Players have a private life as well and you can’t govern every inch of their lives.

“All you can do is a general look at their profession, how they can enhance the team, and find out what they are like as a character.

“I’m not on Twitter. I don’t know anything about it, but I think there’s a business out there checking people’s accounts for clubs.

“Is that where the world is coming to?

“He’s pretty clear-minded, he’s been good around me and the place. It’s authentic what he said, his whole life has changed and moved forward on and off the pitch.

“He understands that was then, this is now.

“Everyone has to develop in life, he’s looked to do that.”