Michael O’Neill predicts how West Brom fans will react to James McClean return
Stoke City manager Michael O’Neill expects West Brom fans to offer a warm welcome to James McClean when he returns to The Hawthorns on Monday night.
Albion face off against their Midland rivals with the hope of moving four points clear at the top of the Championship table after Leeds’ loss to QPR on Saturday saw them lose ground in the race for automatic promotion.
However McClean’s return to the Black Country is bound to be a bit of a sideshow as the Ireland international has been in the news lately due to sectarian chanting that has been aimed his way [talkSPORT].
It is sad that some fans are still acting this way about McClean, but Stoke boss O’Neill does not expect it from West Brom supporters on Monday.
“I think James will go there to show people at West Brom that he’s still a top player. I think in the period he was there he was very good for them so I think they will hopefully recognise that,” O’Neill said, as quoted by the Irish Mirror.
“I don’t envisage there will be any of the other issues we have seen with the away fans concerning this game.”
Although it is debatable that McClean was “very good” in his spell at West Brom, we really do hope that O’Neill is right.
Albion fans know all too well the reasons behind McClean’s refusal to wear a poppy during the Remembrance Day period and many have been very understanding and respectful of the Irishman’s decision.
Let’s just hope that once the game is over on Monday we are talking about football and not about the way McClean is treated.
In other West Brom news, Kevin Phillips has claimed clubs are keen to sign this Albion duo.