Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard miss England's first ever open training session at St George's Park

A view of the facilities at St George's Park (GETTY IMAGES)

Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard missed an historic England training session at St George's Park this morning.

Although the duo did take part in a warm-up, they were restricted to solo fitness duties during the first open training session at the Football Association's magnificent new £100m complex at Burton.

Both men are expected to be available for Friday's World Cup qualifier against San Marino at Wembley, as is striker Jermain Defoe who did gym work while his team-mates trained.

The only other missing player was Chelsea's Ryan Bertrand. The full-back was only called up yesterday but has a sore throat and was confined to his room.

Also present, and taking up the left-back position in what appeared to be Roy Hodgson's first-choice defence, was Ashley Cole.

The Chelsea defender was yesterday charged by the Football Association over his offensive Tweet last Friday.

Cole seems certain to receive a heavy fine for his reaction to the FA questioning the evidence he gave to John Terry's racism case.

However, FA chairman David Bernstein has revealed that Cole apologised to him personally last night and stressed that Hodgson will decide whether the Chelsea full-back plays against San Marino at Wembley, which would be his 99th cap.

In his Twitter outburst, Cole referred to the governing body as a "bunch of t****".

Speaking to Radio 5 Live this morning, Bernstein said: "He apologised immediately on Friday and he came to see me last night and apologised to me personally.

"He showed real contrition. He said he was really sorry.

"He is free to play for England over the coming matches. It is up to the manager to decide whether he plays or not."

Cole has been given until 4pm on Thursday to respond to yesterday's FA charge.

The timing far from ideal but now the only threat to his chances of winning a 99th cap would appear to be if the England manager opts to rest him ahead of the crucial trip to Poland four days later.

Bernstein was convinced Cole's apology was heart-felt.

He told Sky Sports News: "It was a serious apology. He expressed a degree of remorse for what he had done, wished it hadn't happened.

"I looked him in the eye and really felt that he meant it."

Bernstein admitted, though, that the Chelsea full-back's actions meant he was unlikely to captain England for what could be his 100th cap against Poland next Tuesday.

Asked about the possibility of Cole being given the armband to mark the occasion, Bernstein said: "To be absolutely honest I doubt it. We've expressed a view on what we need with regard to a captain and I doubt it, but we'll see.

"We've had issues and we've stated publicly many times that we have a very high level of behaviour and so on and so forth required from an English captain."

Bernstein also revealed the FA will not appeal the punishment handed to Terry by the independent regulatory commission.

"The FA I believe will not be appealing it," he said. "But the thing is still under possible appeal therefore I do not want to talk about the John Terry thing at all.

"It's not over yet and John Terry has a right of appeal himself."

In response to the Cole saga, FA general secretary Alex Horne revealed the organisation were looking at social media to be part of the code of conduct.

He told Sky Sports News: "The issues of social media are multiple, very personal. You take personal responsibility for what you put out.

"Tweeting is effectively like me talking to you and millions of people and they need to understand that and I think they do.

"The clubs and England need to help them as much as possible with reiterating guidelines and reiterating safeguards...in terms of think before you tweet...but we are not going to over-labour it.

"There is a policy in place across the FA, there are lines and if you cross them we will charge you. The clubs have their own policies in place.

"We as England will look towards including something on social media in a code of conduct."

After training the England players were involved in a meet and greet with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke, president of the FA, shook hands with Cole.