Last updated on .From the section Football

Manchester City have apologised after striker Carlos Tevez was pictured with a sign saying "RIP Fergie" during his side's Premier League title parade.

The former Manchester United forward poked fun at former boss Sir Alex Ferguson, as City paraded their trophy on an open-top bus through Manchester.

The sign was thought to refer to a 2009 response by Ferguson, when asked if United would ever be City's underdogs.

Ferguson said at the time: "Not in my lifetime".

A City spokeswoman said: "The creation of the tasteless material is in itself reprehensible and in accepting and brandishing it, Carlos has made a significant error of judgement.

"The club wishes to express its sincerest apologies to Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United Football Club for any offence or distress caused."

Tevez at City Games - 100

Goals - 57

Medals - Premier League, FA Cup

Tevez, who left United in 2009 for City, said: "I got carried away in the excitement of the moment and I certainly didn't mean any disrespect to Sir Alex Ferguson, who I admire as a man and a manager."

Manchester United chief executive David Gill told Sky Sports News: "It was silly and inappropriate but City acted with commendable speed to say sorry."

The 28-year-old former Boca Juniors and Corinthians forward moved to English football in 2006, joining West Ham.

After helping them avoid relegation from the Premier League, he moved onto United, where he spent two seasons, winning two Premier League trophies and the Champions League. He scored 34 goals in 87 games for the Red Devils.

But in the summer of 2009 he moved across Manchester to rivals City.

Tevez was top scorer in each of his first two years at Eastlands but this season was punctuated by a self-imposed spell back in Argentina after an argument with manager Roberto Mancini about his alleged refusal to warm up in a Champions League game with Bayern Munich.

Mancini had said Tevez would not feature for him again but brought him back in for the title run-in, with former City player Rodney Marsh saying: "Mancini will be sacked if Tevez plays and City don't win the title."

He impressed on his return to City, scoring four goals in 10 games, and featured in the final day win over QPR that clinched their maiden Premier League title.

And the striker has now said he could stay at the club months after it looked certain he would never play for City again.