McClean decision not to wear remembrance poppy ‘personal choice’

Sunderland have confirmed that James McClean’s decision not to wear a Remembrance Day poppy on his shirt was a personal one. The shirt is now due to be sold for charity.

McClean and his Ireland international colleague John O’Shea did not wear the same shirt as their team-mates during Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Everton. League players were asked to wear shirts embroidered with poppies over the weekend in order to pay tribute to servicemen lost in wars.

The 23-year-old winger’s decision sparked a flurry of criticism and support, with club officials forced to issue a statement on the matter yesterday, without reference to O’Shea’s stance. A statement said: “As a club, SAFC wholeheartedly supports the Remembrance commemorations. It was James’s personal choice not to wear a shirt on this occasion.”

After the storm of controversy surrounding his decision, Ger O’Brien, who plays for St Patrick’s Athletic, revealed on Twitter that McClean had given him the jersey and said it would be auctioned to raise fund for the cancer ward at Crumlin.

Derry-born McClean has already been the subject of controversy when he opted to play for the Republic rather than Northern Ireland earlier this year and became the target of abuse.

McClean joined up with the Irish squad in Dublin yesterday, ahead of Wednesday’s friendly against Greece. When asked about the latest controversy, Trapattoni said: “I think it’s a personal choice and obviously I will defend the player.”