Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce admits Marlon King's jail sentence "doesn't help" the public image of the modern professional footballer.

Striker King has been convicted of groping a young woman in a nightclub and then breaking her nose and received an 18-month custodial sentence.

Wigan chairman Dave Whelan has said the club will sack 29-year-old King.

Allardyce has now defended football players and suggested that King's was an isolated case.

Asked if he thought there was a problem with player behaviour in the UK, Allardyce said: "Players make a huge contribution in this country.

"I think if you ask (Professional Footballers' Association chief executive) Gordon Taylor about how much charity work they do, it would answer your question.

"I spoke to him (Taylor) the other day and told him he really should put that out in the public domain, particularly at a time like this.

"We've got one isolated case which is very disappointing indeed, but overall, Premier League footballers and most of the footballers throughout the Football League, across the 92 clubs, do a huge amount for their communities and this country.

"(What has happened) doesn't help and it's a delicate situation, but he (King) has got what justice has served him."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes King should be allowed to return to the game after serving his sentence.

"I believe that you have justice and it's not my justice, it is the justice that England has decided to apply to his case," Wenger said.

"When he has paid his sentence, of course you would consider signing someone like that.

"Otherwise you would never forgive anybody anything. When he has paid his sentence, some clubs if they want, they will take him."

Wenger, like Allardyce, stressed King's situation should be considered "an isolated incident".

He said: "He is an individual and if you do what he has done, the fact that he has played football has nothing to do with it."