Back to the Stoke City Newsfeed

James McClean is fined two weeks' wages by Stoke City and deletes his Instagram account after posting an image of his home school 'history lesson' while wearing a balaclava to mimic the IRA

James McClean has been fined two weeks’ wages by Stoke City and agreed to delete his Instagram account after posting an offensive picture of himself home schooling his children in a balaclava.

The image, which was accompanied by a caption that read ‘today’s school lesson – history’ and laughing emojis, was interpreted as a reference to the IRA.

McClean has caused controversy before over his stance on the Northern Ireland issue and refusal to wear a remembrance poppy.

James McClean posted his image of himself wearing a black balaclava in front of his children
McClean, seen here with the same leg tattoo as in the Instagram post, was criticised online

The 30-year-old Republic of Ireland winger was born in Derry and raised on the Creggan estate where six of the people killed on Bloody Sunday in 1972 came from.