Stoke City have fined James James McClean after he posted on social media a photo of him wearing a balaclava while sitting inside with his two children, with the caption 'today’s school lesson - history'.
The Ireland midfielder published the photo on his Instagram story before taking the image, along with his entire account, down.
The Potters have since released a statement saying that they have fined the Derry native two-weeks wages after an internal review.
Their statement read: "Stoke City can confirm that, following an internal disciplinary review, disciplinary action has been taken against James McClean for an inappropriate social media post.
"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."
McClean, meanwhile, has expressed his regret at the post.
He said: “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.”
The Championship star has been known to become embroiled in political matters during his playing career.
He has been subject to abuse by some supporters for his refusal to wear a poppy during Remembrance Day, owing to his views on the Bloody Sunday Massacre, where 13 unarmed civilians were murdered in Derry in 1972.
He wrote in a West Bromwich Albion matchday programme in 2016 his reasons for not wearing a symbol: "If the poppy was simply about World War One and Two victims alone, I’d wear it without a problem.
"I would wear it every day of the year if that was the thing but it doesn’t. It stands for all the conflicts that Britain has been involved in. Because of the history where I come from in Derry, I cannot wear something that represents that."
In shocking scenes earlier this season, Championship side Barnsley were charged by the FA after alleged sectarian abuse appeared to be directed at the 30-year-old.
