Wrexham star James McClean has revealed that his team-mates are often taken aback but respectful when he explains his decision not to wear a poppy. The former Republic of Ireland international’s career has been overshadowed by controversy due to his steadfast refusal to have the remembrance symbol on his kit.
McClean, who grew up on the Creggan estate in Derry, which was home to approximately half of the 13 unarmed civilians killed by British soldiers on Bloody Sunday in 1972, has repeatedly clarified his stance. He has said that he cannot wear the poppy as it symbolises all conflicts the UK has participated in, leading to frequent abuse and even death threats. Despite this, McClean says his fellow players are generally understanding once he explains his position.
The issue frequently resurfaces in the lead-up to Remembrance Day, and McClean has now confessed he wishes the controversy that has haunted him since his time at Sunderland in 2012 would simply disappear. In a recent interview with Westlife singer Nicky Byrne, the 36-year-old expressed his frustration at constantly having to justify his beliefs.
It comes after he previously disclosed that his wife feared he could be shot dead live on television due to the intense hostility directed towards him. “Somehow it just keeps coming around,” McClean told Nicky Byrne HQ.
“People don’t seem to grasp what I’m saying. Maybe I’m speaking a language that no one understands because it just seems to go in one ear and out the other ear. How many times can you explain yourself?
“People say, ‘Oh, here we go again.’ Well, just let it go then. Trust me, there’s nothing I would want more than to put it to bed and let it go. I just think there are people that don’t want to understand. You can’t make people like that understand. It’s just sheer ignorance.
“A lot [of team-mates] have asked about it over the years, which I appreciate. When you explain it to them, you can see that they’re actually taken aback and they’re like, ‘Oh right, I understand.’ They’re open to learning, they’re open to listening and for an explanation.”
McClean isn’t the only footballer to decline wearing the poppy, with Arsenal women’s star Katie McCabe, who also plays for the Republic of Ireland, choosing not to wear one during her side’s 4-1 victory over Leicester on Sunday. McClean made headlines this week after confessing to aiming a punch at a Cardiff supporter before Wrexham’s recent clash with their Welsh rivals.
The incident unfolded in the players’ car park outside the Racecourse Ground ahead of the Carabao Cup tie on October 28, which he insists was an act of self-defence. Although he didn’t specifically mention that confrontation, McClean told Byrne that he typically uses abuse from rival fans to boost his performance during matches.
“Everyone’s big and brave at football grounds, with the hooligan mentality,” he said. “They get their bravado out at football grounds, because they have the big invisible wall that surrounds the pitch. It is what it is and I can’t control it. I know what’s coming every single week when I step onto the pitch, especially at away grounds.
“I’m a target for abuse. The way I see it is that you can either sink or swim. You can use that as motivation or you can sink under it, so I use it for motivation. There’s nothing more satisfying when you win a game and you get to give it back.”
He added: “That’s an absolutely great feeling because you can just see the pure rage and hatred on their faces and it’s. When you get the win, it makes it much sweeter.”