Northern Ireland

James McClean targeted by offensive chanting

Derry native and Stoke City star James McClean has been targeted by offensive chanting
Derry native and Stoke City star James McClean has been targeted by offensive chanting Derry native and Stoke City star James McClean has been targeted by offensive chanting

An investigation has been launched after Ireland international James McClean was targeted by offensive chanting during a soccer game in England yesterday.

A tannoy announcement was made after chants were aimed at the Derry native when his Stoke side took on Huddersfield in the Championship.

Supporters were told that "offensive behaviour is affecting the game and will not be tolerated".

Referee James Linington stopped play on the 64th minute and spoke to both managers on the sidelines.

The 30-year-old applauded when the tannoy announcement was made.

Mr McClean has previously been targeted by chanting and sectarian abuse.

Speaking after the match, which Stoke won 5-2, club and Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill spoke about the incident.

"People have to be held accountable for their behaviour when they come to a stadium,” he said.

"It's not something we want to be consistently talking about - sectarianism or racism or whatever.

"We want to be talking about the game because there was seven goals here."

Stoke City spokesman Fraser Nicholson said at the post-match press conference: "Just to provide some context for that, James McClean is being encouraged to report abuse that he receives that's of a sectarian nature to the match official.

"He did it on Boxing Day when he was subjected to it by Sheffield Wednesday fans and obviously felt the need to do it again."

Mr McClean has been at the centre of controversy in the past and refused to wear any club shirts bearing the Remembrance Day poppy logo – which remembers dead British soldiers.

In 2018 he was disciplined by Stoke after he called a section of the club's fans "uneducated cavemen".

His outburst on Instagram came after he was verbally abused by some home supporters during the Championship clash with Middlesbrough over his refusal to wear a poppy.