Leeds United yesterday apologised after the comedian Stan Boardman told racist jokes at an official club function in honour of a black player. Boardman appeared to make jokes about a serious assault on an Asian student for which two of the team's player's, Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate, stood trial.

He is reported to have said: "I hear they went to a club last night. When they came out one said to the other 'I could murder an Indian'." The 700 guests at the dinner to honour Leeds defender Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday are reported to have been stunned by the tirade, which included anti-Irish jokes.

Leeds United yesterday said it had told Boardman he would be banned from performing at Elland Road functions and said he had caused deep offence to many of the guests. In a letter to the performer, it also said said it was reviewing his payment of £4,000.

A spokesman said that club chairman Peter Ridsdale would be writing to the dinner guests and sponsors apologising for any offence. The spokesman said Leeds had not been aware that Boardman's set contained racist material, other than that directed at "the Germans", and comics for events at Elland Road would be vetted in future. In 1998 the club was criticised after inviting Bernard Manning to perform.

Piara Powar of Kick it Out, which campaigns against racism in football, said: "Clearly Stan Boardman was the wrong person to invite. It was insensitive. Someone here has messed up. He has come close to inciting racial hatred."

Stan Boardman said yesterday: "All I did was give as good as I got." He said he was responding to an Asian heckler, and of reports of his performance, he said: "It all seems very one-sided. I think there's a conspiracy going on here."