:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/UFS2NAQIJEKMXG64GHXDAPZIRU.jpg)
Stoke City have said that James McClean is to be fined two weeks’ wages as a result of the Instagram post in which he posed with a balaclava on for a joke teaching history at home to his kids.
The 30 year-old Republic of Ireland international from Derry has apologised for the incident and said he will be deleting his Instagram account.
“Stoke City can confirm that, following an internal disciplinary review, disciplinary action has been taken against James McClean for an inappropriate social media post,” the club said in a short statement.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/7WKRT6XK3VMM4RUEG5LEYMSJQM.jpg)
“McClean has been fined two weeks’ wages by the club and has also agreed to delete his Instagram account. The player has expressed contrition and recognises that the post was ill advised and offensive.”
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/73NKYUKCBGIBZI4QGZ2U7FFTRM.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/3OC3GL2LIUMMIY2UIQVNXW6Z4M.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/FEYH6VUTUUTD6DTX23HXUDXP5Y.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/U7HZBTUQI5YN2XLNLSIJP7U2ZU.jpg)
In the statement, McClean is quoted as saying that: “I never wanted to cause any offence but I now realise that I did so and for that I apologise unreservedly. I have spoken to the club and will be deleting my Instagram account.
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/a8d8206a-3a9c-423e-89ab-54ed8b7df97f.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)