[St Charles Owl]

As ex military, I always wear my Poppy with pride and I Have visited the Ulster Tower memorial near Thiepval in France on quite a few occasions. I am also a royalist HOWEVER I do see why James McClean doesn't wear the Poppy and its his prerogative.

I will also add I think he's been a good player for us so far and links well with Brunty down the left hand side.

I don't like people burning the Poppy as this makes me very angry indeed but I work with people who don't wear it, up to them.

My take is he didn't need to explain his decisions but he has and should be applauded for it, get behind the lad as he's Albion now. We have all been brought up differently, for instance I HATED WOLVES and want them to lose every game,  this was instilled in me from an early age and now I'm an Adult, I merely DISLIKE them immensely and still want them to lose every game

To be fair to him, I don't agree with his stance but respect his right to make his own mind up on it.  This wouldn't be an issue at all if clubs stopped putting the poppy on the shirts at this time of year, this is what causes him to have to put out the statement because he won't wear a shirt with one on it.  There is no need for clubs to put the poppy on their shirts, put up banners or adverts on the hoardings around the ground if they want to promote it but leave it off the shirt.  Outside of the club players can make their own private decision whether to wear one or not.