Stoke support James McClean for poppy stance

Stoke City have issued a statement, so has James McClean and they want that to be the end of it.

Ever since he made the move across the water to England, James McClean has had to explain his reasons for not wearing a poppy on his jersey. He's one of the few players in English football who refuses to wear the remembrance poppy on his jersey and with remembrance day coming up on November 11, and with Stoke City set to play two games during the remembrance period, he's outlined his reasons once again. It's a perennial occurrence for McClean to receive criticism for his stance - one he explained comprehensively during his spell at Wigan three years ago. Here's the statement he issued on Tuesday.

"I know many people won’t agree with my decision or even attempt to gain an understanding of why I don’t wear a poppy,"  "I accept that but I would ask people to be respectful of the choice I have made, just as I’m respectful of people who do choose to wear a poppy," he said on

Stoke City are respecting his decision to follow his own convictions. "As a Club we will be supporting the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal by wearing the Poppy on our home shirt in the fixture against Middlesbrough on November 3rd and on our away shirt in the fixture against Nottingham Forest on November 10th. The Club is proud of its close connections with the Armed Forces and have also invited members of the Armed Forces to join our remembrance at the Middlesbrough fixture. "However, we recognise that the Poppy means different things to different individuals and communities and (like the Royal British Legion) do not believe that anybody should be forced or even pressured to wear the Poppy against their free will. James has informed us that he will not be wearing a Remembrance Day Poppy in our next two games. We respect his decision and his right to follow his own convictions."