Goal.com · Apr 5, 2020
McClean: Balaclava photo 'supposed to be a light-hearted joke'
Stoke City winger James McClean has insisted that the photo he put up on Instagram which showed him teaching his children in a balaclava was "supposed to be a light-hearted joke".
On Thursday, March 26, McClean posted an image of himself in a ski-mask sitting on a box in front of his two children, with the caption: 'Today's school lesson - History'.
The 30-year-old was widely criticised for the social media stunt, which was interpreted as an ill-advised reference to the Irish Republican Army.
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The Republic of Ireland international released an official statement apologising for the post, and also deleted his Instagram account after being fined two week's wages by Stoke.