James McClean explains the altercation he had with Blackpool fans and Max Power argues with Wigan supporters come the final whistle.
Blackpool’s slim Championship survival chances were kept alive by a win over the Latics, who are rock bottom of the Championship.
Jerry Yates broke the deadlock just two minutes in after returning from his hamstring injury that kept him out of Easter fixtures.
However it seems a number of incidents marred the game, with the Wigan fans venting out their frustration and Blackpool fans targeting James McClean.
Paul Kendrick (@PKendrickWIG) wrote: “Delay before James McClean can take a corner, some things thrown, a lot of things chanted… referee involved… #wafc”
Delay before James McClean can take a corner, some things thrown, a lot of things chanted…referee involved… #wafc pic.twitter.com/nT3wMAzARG
— Paul Kendrick (@PKendrickWIG) April 15, 2023
— Paul Kendrick (@PKendrickWIG) April 15, 2023
Speaking more on the incident, James McClean took to Instagram, saying: “On the incident today (aye another one) do not get it twisted, i was not offended by a flag honestly you can stick the flag up your hole for all i care.
“Section right in front of stewards and police (who responded with the words “nothing to do with us 🤯) literally shouting loud and clear “f**k off you Irish fenian cunt” multiply times while holding their poxy flag.
“Everyones a big hard man behind a two foot advertising hoarding with the invisible wall in front of them holding them back 🙄.
“Referee will make a report to the FA, the same process that happened at Luton away in the Fa cup game either this season with evidence as clear as day, as on many occasions over the years, yet the nothing AGAIN will happen.
“This is simply just highlighting the double standards firstly the FA have and secondly how utter useless that the English FA are 🖕
“They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal…”
“UNBOWED and UNBROKEN 🇮🇪”
Wigan face being relegated in midweek if they fail to beat Stoke, and other results go against them.”
He added: “To the football side of things, as a team today was not good enough, as a team this season has not been good enough, its been totally unacceptable and all is left now is to finish this season as strongest as we possible can and with pride in doing so. Good night god bless.”
James McClean has posted the following messages to his Instagram stories following the altercation (for want of a better word) in front of the North Stand. pic.twitter.com/q2ckJzZWN5
— Matt Scrafton 🇺🇦 (@matt_scrafton) April 15, 2023
Yates’ 14th goal in the season gave interim Blackpool manager Stephen Dobbie a victory on his home debut with his side able to deal with the toothless Latics’ attack and clinch a third victory in 25 games. They now trail Cardiff by four points, as they lost at Sheffield United.
Paul Kendrick said on the full time scenes: “Max Power appearing to be having heated words with someone in the Latics end after the game. Was plenty of booing as the players came across. Callum Lang trying to calm things down. #wafc”
Max Power appearing to be having heated words with someone in the Latics end after the game. Was plenty of booing as the players came across. Callum Lang trying to calm things down. #wafc pic.twitter.com/7xiXvFiQ0G
— Paul Kendrick (@PKendrickWIG) April 15, 2023
— Tics Terrible (@TerribleTics) April 15, 2023
Wigan’s Max Power talking to fans now that their chances of staying up are virtually over 👀
pic.twitter.com/h8OXwPkdf3— The Second Tier (@secondtierpod) April 15, 2023
Shaun Maloney spoke of the hard work that needs to be done at the club, not only in the next few weeks but in the coming months.
“I’ll start with an apology really, and not just for today,” he said.
“That (apology) is for a long period of time, as this season has not been at the levels that this Club should be at. I appreciate every single one of them (the fans) that come and pay to watch us.
“I said at the very beginning when I started that win, lose or draw, I will come and show my appreciation.
“I know these days are difficult, but whatever anger and unhappiness is there – that’s for me. I know what I want to see, and that wasn’t it.”
“I knew the game was going to start hectic and I knew how they would start,” he said.
“The reality of it is, we were still goalside of the player that scores and we don’t follow the run. It was the same against Swansea and it’s the same of many games and it’s a big issue.
“We can do all the work to improve the team. Defensively, we’re one of the better ones in the league now, but we’re so far away from being a good, attacking team.
“We have to change that – starting now into the next few weeks and then into next season. I don’t want to have 60/70% possession and not have the threat to win games.
“Today, and probably the last few weeks, is a culmination of where I see the Club, and there’s a lot of things that need to change and be rebuilt. I need to be ruthless because the levels are not what I want to see and where they should be at.”
Stephen Dobbie was proud of the mentality of his Blackpool players.
“I thought it was a dogged performance, probably not the best spectacle of a game but at this time and at this time of the season three points is all that matters and we’ve sent the fans home happy,” Dobbie said.
“We can look forward to Tuesday now and that was our main objective. Jerry (Yates) is infectious around the place and he can get you those moments, that’s why we were trying all week to get him fit for this game, he pops up in big moments.
“We can give all the tactical stuff and the ideas like we have in the past couple of days but at the end when it’s 1-0 and there’s nine minutes going up on the board, then you see the characters in the team,” Dobbie added.
“Curtis (Nelson), Jordan Gabriel, Jordan (Thorniley) and Andy Lyons dug in and won every header. I’m lost for words with their effort and mentality.
“That atmosphere is the only thing that can replicate actually playing the game when you hear that, especially when they’re singing your name and cheering you on.
“They know how much the Club means to me and that win was fantastic.”
Twitter users reacted as James McClean explains the altercation with Blackpool fans and Max Power argues with Wigan supporters…
ON MCCLEAN:
@IsMiseAnse0: The hatred from the English people is easy to deal with and it’s just in their blood. It’s the silence of the “good people” that’s hard to take. The biggest bunch of cowards, hypocrites @FA @PFA
@Theunknownguy94: James McClean may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but the constant abuse every week is being ignored.Not even that but how conveniently the FA do fuck all about it even though they’re big on kick it out. If it was a black player getting abuse, I’m sure they’d be very fast to act
@asdmumspelthorn: Why do the @FootballAssoc and @LaticsOfficial continue to do nothing? This is sectarianism but also where is the player support?
@DanWAFC03: I’d hope if it continues we consider walking off…
@mightybongsmon: Time for the club to make a stand and walk off @LaticsOfficial
@Finton05408696: If he’d been black & the abuse was racist rather than sectarian the ref would’ve taken the teams off. As bad as I’ve seen it at that first corner. Absolute shit.
@johndanbatch: Blackpool fans abusing McClean – wouldnt expect anything else from a town of Tories #wafc
@marrinpleee: some disgusting anti-autism chants being sung there no doubt
ON POWER:
@Harreson4: I swear this stuff only happens at Blackpool away. It happened with us last season with Deeney
@WlwBfc: At least he had the bollocks to go to his supporters. The others scarpered sharpish
@ellis__safc: Left sunderland for that
@cbrown164_: Least he had the bollocks to come over and appreciate the fans, 1 out of a squad of 15+
@shaunhftm: Top professional is Max, always gives his all. Wigan Pathetic on the other hand, getting what they deserve and finding their level
@WarrenBedeBrown: Don’t like @LaticsOfficial at all, based on the fast they have cheated creditors and @EFL rules but players can’t be faulted for effort, especially when they don’t know whether they are getting paid each week! Players are simply not Championship Class, like the Club overall!
@Isaac__SAFC: the wigan downfall 😍
@michaeldoug79: Probably one of the worst players I’ve ever seen in a Sunderland shirt, he would always over hit a pass and then blame someone else, can’t believe he’s a professional footballer
@jonny_mellor142: Why boo the players who have played through all the shit the owners have put on Wigan this season – players deserve all the credit and it’s the ownership that’s needs criticism, we found out that the hard way at derby – best of luck though latics fan, great club 🤍🖤
@Jhouns1991:
“…Charlie Wyke, he left coz you’re shite”
Funny old game isn’t it ⬇️
@daharrison84: Max Power is , and will always be , one of the finest players to wear our badge. If people want to boo, they are entitled to boo. The ones who stand and applaud can be confronted in Ma Kellys at 12:00pm Sunday prompt x
@JonnyLavery99: Remember when the daft cunt liked loads of our fans tweets after they got promoted from league one saying how shite they were on the first game of last season. That went well Max ya fucking walloper. As if he captained us man 😂
@BWhitza97: The amount of shit these divis gave us last season 🤣🤣
@Grundy_99: Hahahahahahahahhahaahhahahahahahahahahahaha rot ya fucking scouse rat, to think there was some people who think he was good enough for us man, rancid player
@robin1302: Stoke 0 Wigan 1 incoming Tuesday then. 😂
@KimmyQuickslice: Hats off for having the balls to go talk to the fans after the game, it’s a hard time to be confronting fans as a player especially for Wigan but this shows the level of care from him towards the fans.
@Tone87Zebra: Got a lot of time for these going down. Seen a lot of teams have a problem with us just for being Sunderland in league one but these were the worst.
@reece_scholes: Remember when these cunts laughed at me because I said they’ll get battered all over the championship and come straight back down 😂 exhibit 3627583 of my ball knowledge #bwfc
You must be logged in to post a comment Login