McClean receives abuses packages due to poppy views

The Irishman has always declined to wear a poppy, the symbol of remberance for fallen British armed forces personnel, due to his Northern Irish background.

The usual controversy about his decision has become intensified this year, after he took to social media to hit back at sections of the Stoke fans that abused him, calling them "uneducated" and "cavemen".

Now, his manager Gary Rowett has confirmed that the winger receives 'abusive packages' at the Stoke training ground, but admits that the player should have reacted better to the on-field abuse.

"He's been sent stuff which I've seen, you can understand in a way why he reacts. He's only human." Rowett told 'BBC Sport'.

"When you have those beliefs you appreciate that it's going to be a big situation at the weekend like that.

"We spoke to James about it and I think his response was out of frustration, probably ill-judged.

"Certainly criticising a minority of our fans is not the way to go and we spoke to him about that. We can't condone that but I think when you understand the background to his beliefs and you see that his family have had death threats, you see that his wife and kids have had abuse constantly, you see that he's been sent stuff in the post, which I've seen recently from fans and you can understand, in a way, why he reacts.

"We can't condone certain parts of those actions but we can understand some parts of it because the abuse is pretty pretty bad. We will try to move forward. The club have spoken to James about it. It's certainly not something that we want to condone."