"It is very sad for Jamie and I feel deeply sorry for him," Neill told the club's official website.
"No-one likes to hear of any player being injured, especially for the long term, but there was absolutely no intent on my part - I simply went to play the ball.
"I am an aggressive and committed player, that is part of my game, but I play it fairly.
"I pass on my best wishes to Jamie for a speedy recovery and hope at some stage to be able to go over to see him and shake his hand."