Huddersfield Town investigate alleged racist and sectarian abuse towards Stoke City's James McClean

Huddersfield Town will investigate alleged racist and sectarian chanting aimed at Irish international James McClean following Wednesday afternoon’s game with Stoke City.

A PA announcement in the 64^th minute of the Terrier’s 5-2 defeat to Stoke said “racist chanting is affecting the game and will not be tolerated.”

McClean is believed to have drawn the referee’s attention to abuse directed towards him and the referee stopped play to inform both managers of the situation.

The 30-year-old did the same during the club’s 3-2 win over Sheffield Wednesday on St Stephen’s Day but no action was taken on the field.

 “James McClean is being encouraged to report abuse that he receives that’s of a sectarian nature to the match official,” said Stoke City head of media and communications Fraser Nicholson.

“He did it on Boxing Day when he was subjected to it by Sheffield Wednesday fans and obviously felt the need to do it again.”

Derryman McClean has been subjected to abuse throughout his nine-year career in England following his decision not to wear a Remembrance Day poppy in November.

He explained his stance in an open letter to Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan in 2014, saying he cannot wear a symbol representing those who killed 13 innocent people in Derry on Bloody Sunday.

Stoke manager Michael O’Neill, who was, like McClean, born in Northern Ireland, added: “People have to be held accountable for their behaviour when they come to a stadium.

“It’s not something we want to be consistently talking about – sectarianism or racism or whatever. We want to be talking about the game because there was seven goals here.”

McClean played 90 minutes of the Potters’ 5-2 win and provided the assist for Lee Gregory’s late strike.

"There's no place for discrimination of any type whatsoever," said Huddersfield manager Danny Cowley.

"I'm sure the club will investigate this and make sure the people involved in it are duly punished."