A Sunderland fan who was pictured with his trousers round his ankles has said he is 'ashamed' by his behaviour but has insisted he didn't defecate in the stands.

A photograph of Callum Mawson, 17, with his pants down in full view of shocked fellow supporters during Sunderland's match at home to Reading was posted on Twitter.

The teenager, from Horden in County Durham, has been suspended from his job as a business admin apprentice and now fears he could be banned from the Stadium of Light.

The 17-year-old, who is a season ticket holder at Sunderland, had been drinking heavily before the match but had only eaten two chocolates from his advent calendar.

He said he was so drunk he couldn't remember the incident.

Callum Mawson has apologised for his behaviour and said he was so drunk he couldn't remember the incident

The teenager has been suspended from his job as a business admin apprentice and now fears he could be banned from attending Sunderland FC matches

Callum said: 'I am apologetic for it. I am sorry. I didn't defecate on the seat, that's the God's honest truth.

'I can't recall any of it. I got to the ground, sat in my seat and the next thing I remember was I was being in the holding cell in the stadium.

'I didn't find out about the whole incident until half 11 at night when my friend told me. It was all over Facebook.

'Gary Lineker had put it on his Twitter. It's embarrassing, I'm ashamed. I didn't even know what I was doing.

'A lad who sat next to me put it on Twitter saying it didn't happen. He said I can confirm he didn't have a s*** in his seat. He said 'I can I can confirm he had a p*ss'.

'I'd rather it be that then having a s*** on the seat. But I'd rather it be nothing at all.

'I think I must have been so drunk I thought I was on the toilet. That's the only thing I can think of. I wouldn't have done it for no reason.

'I don't know what was going through my head when I did it, I really don't.

'There's been people messaging me giving me hate. I don't want people to think I don't care...I am ashamed of it.

'There is no excuse for what I have done, I regret my actions, but there is no need for such hurtful comments.

'I understand why it's had so much attention but I don't appreciate the lies.'

Describing the incident Callum said: 'I don't know what was going through my head when I did it, I really don't'

Callum, who has been a season ticket holder at Sunderland for three years, had drank 12 bottles of Budweiser and six pints of Strongbow Dark Fruit before going to watch Chris Coleman's first home match in charge of the club.

He said: 'I was drinking at my house then I met up with mates at the pub and had a few there.

'I didn't carry on drinking when I got there.

'But I had been out all night the night before at a party, that probably didn't help. I got home at 8am and started drinking about 9am.'

The teenager has been suspended from his job following the incident and fears he could be sacked.

The teenager has been suspended from his job following the incident and fears he could be sacked

He said: 'I'm slightly worried it will affect getting a job. But it wouldn't affect my work life, I'm not going to come to work drunk.

'I'm not usually like that. It's just a one off, I'm not sure why it's happened.

'I'm going to have to watch what I am drinking in the future.

'My mam and dad are going to support me through the whole thing.

'I think the club will ban me. I'm going to be upset of I'm not going to be able to go to the home matches anymore. But I can't feel hard done by, it's my fault, I have done it.'

Police today confirmed the supporter didn't defecate in his seat.

A Northumbria Police spokeswoman said: 'Further to media reports reporting a fan defecated on his seat during the Sunderland v Reading match on Saturday, police would like to clarify that this was not the case.'

The force said the 17-year-old was arrested for being drunk in a sports ground and 'had been dealt with appropriately'.

The spokeswoman added: 'At no point did he defecate on his seat.'

A club spokesman said on Sunday the matter was in the hands of Northumbria Police.

They confirmed the teenager's season ticket had been suspended pending the police investigation.