Owen Coyle apologised to the 883 travelling Burnley fans after the Clarets were thrashed at Crystal Palace.

The Clarets ended the season on a low note with a 0-5 hammering at Selhurst Park.

Coyle said: "It's certainly left a bad taste in my mouth.

"We had good support there paying good money and they were still vocal at the very end.

"I want to thank them for coming and the support they gave and I can only apologise to them for what they got offered up today.

"We were totally decimated in terms of strikers, so we were always going to be up against it. But I still expect a better showing whether we have eight, nine or ten men."

To compound the misery, Clarke Carlisle will miss the first two games of the 2008/09 season after being red carded inside the first five minutes for a foul on Scott Sinclair that led to the opening goal from the penalty spot.

But Coyle was adamant the goal that kicked off the rout should not have stood after Carlisle allowed the ball to bounce believing that Sinclair was coming back from an offside position.

The gaffer, who reserved praise for rookie striker Alex MacDonald following the teenager's impressive cameo as a late substitute, said: "If you had said that would happen before the game you would not have envisaged it.

"But I thought the major talking point was the first goal. When the ball was played through between Clarke and Steven Caldwell they could have dealt with it, but the lad was at least four or five yards offside and because of that our lads allowed it to bounce.

"He was coming out, but then ran back and whichever way you look at it, he's in an offside position.

"It was just an incredible decision. I'm not even sure it was a penalty, but we're one down and down to ten men and then within a few minutes it's another cheap goal given away.

"It was a long afternoon from there, but it only reinforces what I already knew and what we need to improve it in the close season."

Coyle, who has five players out of contract in the summer, added: "I will speak to the players on Tuesday and there will be some we make offers to and some we won't.

"We will have a chat and take it from there.

"The bottom line is we need to improve. We know the areas we need to look at and we will get one or two in to compliment that and we will be a better team for it."