James McClean hits back at poppy criticism as he defends position

Wrexham captain McClean attracted attention for standing at a distance from his teammates as they observed a minute's silence before their match with Mansfield Town on Saturday

By: irishmirror.ie

Nov 10 2024
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James McClean hits back at pop

James McClean says he will not "bend the knee" to those who criticise his refusal to wear the poppy for Remembrance Sunday.

Wrexham captain McClean attracted attention for standing at a distance from his teammates as they observed a minute's silence before their match with Mansfield Town on Saturday.

McClean, 35, has refused to take part in Remembrance commemorations since moving from Derry to England to play for Sunderland in 2011.

The former Republic of Ireland international grew up on Derry's Creggan estate, the homeplace of many of the 14 people killed in the 1972 Bloody Sunday massacre.

Despite receiving backlash from some quarters for his refusal to wear a poppy, McClean has always been firm in his convictions and took to social media on Sunday to outline his beliefs.

McClean wrote: "I have addressed this matter many times, not that I should have to, but explaining it now on social media out of respect for work colleagues, team mates past and present, fans who have supported me (Wigan, Wrexham especially) for them to have a full understanding.

"The poppy represents for me an entire different meaning to what it does for others, am I offended by someone wearing a poppy? No absolutely not, what does offend me though, is having the poppy forced upon me.

"The poppy which originally stood for World War I and II has now been adopted into honouring and remembering British soldiers that have served in all conflicts throughout the world including those who opened fire and murdered 14 innocent civilians on Bloody Sunday Jan 1972, in my home city, as well many other brutal crimes throughout Ireland.

"That is why I never have and never will wear a poppy. If the poppy’s sole purpose was to honour World War I and II then I would have no issue wearing it, but that's not the case.

"I respect those who do as I am fully aware we have different beliefs and upbringings. I would never force my beliefs on others. I’m not naive or stupid enough to expect the matter to be reciprocated, especially as the poppy is forced now on everyone in the UK and god forbid someone doesn’t wear it, the abuse they have to endure.

"The irony of all of this is that the poppy originally stood to honour those who fought for the right of freedom in both World Wars.

"Some people no matter what will not educate themselves or want to educate themselves, so to those who throw abuse about, (matters they know nothing about) with insults like “hates our country” well I don’t, some of my best relationships I’ve made through the years are with people born and raised in England and have completely different beliefs to me.

“'Happy to work and live in the UK but take the kings shilling, send him back to his home town to work then' well the sad matter of fact is if I did I would still getting paid in the “kings shillings” unfortunately which is part of the whole problem to begin with.

"One thing I never have and never will do, is bend the knee to compromise my convictions."

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The media scrutiny over McClean not standing with this teammates and not wearing the poppy prompted his wife Erin to take to social media on Saturday.

Responding to a Sky News article on McClean's stance, Erin said: I don’t know about the rest of you… but this is just boring now. 12 years on you’d think it’d be old news."

Erin has previously told of how the abuse her husband suffers from sections of the English football terraces while he was playing for Stoke City left her fearing for their family.

"Where we live, we have security here. If James is ordering anything, we'll try and get it ordered in my name or send it to the club rather than send it to the house. He's been receiving letters the past few years to the club. I do worry. It's very easy for someone to follow him home from the club to the house and I do worry about that all the time.

"It's happened a few times where we are out shopping and people say things as they pass us, they make a remark. They would never come up and say it to his face. James does react but I feel like whenever you are out and about with your (three) kids, it's very hard not to.

"It's usually towards the poppy or get out of England. People genuinely think he's anti British and that's the last thing he is. We've made a life over here, some of our best friends and neighbours are all English. We love them. We've great relationships with people we've met over the years."

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