James McClean rages at the lack of support given towards him following recent abuse that he has received in the last few months.
The 31 year old Stoke City winger has highlighted more threats sent to him on social media, and it’s getting so bad that users are now wishing him dead.
On Sunday, McClean shared a message from a user that said: “Don’t make me set your house on fire and burn everyone inside it”.
The Championship player posted a statement, which read: “Banging my head against a brick wall here but look i have been doing that anyways for a long time so one more wont make a difference
“Soo much coverage this past couple weeks about discrimination and the condemnation of it across media outlets, players, ex players etc which is great to see because its wrong and idiots should be held responsible for their actions and words as no body should be subjected to that.
“Make no mistake about it or to take anything away from that but just to pose the question really, racism, gender, ethnic..the list of discrimination that goes on is unacceptable right, my question is here… does being abused for being irish and anti irish abuse acceptable ? Is it not popular enough to be seen to be knowledged or spoke out about too?
“I have highlighted the abuse publicly on social media recently and the silence from everyone is deafening!
“If you are offended by me saying that then maybe that tells you something
“we are not criminals, we are irishmen! This the crime we stand accused..’ ☘️”
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McClean repeatedly highlighted sectarian abuse on social media: “Footballers are a free hit. It’s like it’s viewed as we earn this amount of money so we should just take it.”
In 2020, he hit out at the own lack of support following Wilfried Zaha and David McGoldrick abuse.
He was frustrated after watching the huge amounts of support that the two Premier League players have received.
McClean aimed his anger at players, authorities and the media for not getting the same level of support, which has left him with a sour taste.
He refuses to wear the poppy throughout his near-decade stint playing in England for such teams like Sunderland, Wigan, West Brom and Stoke.
Choosing not to do so because he is from Derry, the place where British soldiers shot unarmed civilians during a peaceful protest march in 1972.
McClean said he would wear the poppy if it was just to honour those who lost their lives in the World Wars, as well as insisting his stance is not political and rather one of peace.
“I’m seeing this support for McGoldrick, Zaha, Sterling and that – rightly so.”
“But I’ve been abused for the last nine years – where has my support been?”
“I’ve had police at my door taking finger prints because bullets were sent.”
Must listen from James McClean. pic.twitter.com/xvdPCl2OJa
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) July 14, 2020
He received criticism from Middlesbrough fans in 2018, saying after the game: “They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal that can break the spirit of one Irishman who doesn’t want to be broken.” Your abuse, your throwing things, your booing, do your worst.. to the home fans that are actually educated and support me, thank yous.. to the section of uneducated cavemen in left hand corner of the boothen end stand that want to song their anti irish song each game and call me a fenian this and that.. i am a PROUD FENIAN no c@#t will ever change that, so sing away”.
“Driving back from training today while listening to talkSPORT discussing the vile racist comments this weekend made towards Zaha and McGoldrick on social media, listening to their reaction of disgust at it and rightly so for that matter because it is horrendous and nobody should be subjected to that and people need to be held responsible for their words and actions.
“What leaves a sour taste tho [sic] in my mouth and not only this but with everything else of late, I receive have received more abuse than [any] other player during my 9 years in England wether [sic] that be, death threats, bullets sent in the post, birthday cards, letters etc! This is not a cry for sympathy but one to ask the question what is the difference?
“12-year-old boys get arrested for posting racial abuse online to Zaha again rightly so, has anyone ever been held accountable for mines? No!
“Have I ever had any abuse condemned by the media? (Sky Sports, talkSport, newspapers) No! In fact quite the opposite, the slightest thing that I do that might cause offence to any one is highlighted by them.
“I have seen some of my fellow Irish team mates post a black square in support of anti racism as well as post condemning the discrimination and AGAIN rightly so!
“Have I ever seen any of them ever post a public condemnation of the discrimination I get which funnily enough is a discrimination against them also? That would be a no!
“Does one kind of discrimination hold a higher bearing over another act of discrimination?
“I would say am confused but that’s the wrong word because confused means not fully understanding something, in this case it’s quite clear!
“If you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything.”
Fans reacted as James McClean rages at the lack of support for him following recent abuse…
James McClean more balls than any of them
— Sean Gormley (@bigglen4) February 12, 2021
@ascotinlondon: Absolutely top class from this young man! And he has been saying this for as long as I can remember.
@_BPRG_: how come james McClean can get abuse for the last few years and have it get no coverage anywhere or have it brought up about but the minute martial or arteta get abuse its ridiculous and everyone calls for action? @kickitout @premierleague @SkySportsNews @talkSPORT
@jameswalsh1993: All the Anti-Irish cranks are out in force for this. Should he just be quiet like a good little taig for you? Fuck off. He stands up for what he believes in and doesn’t celebrate child murderers in British Army uniforms. The racist, and it is racist, abuse he gets is a disgrace
@AwayIreland: Fair play to James for speaking up. The abuse is a disgrace.
@Fido_MUFC: How many Irish footballers are playing in England currently? How many of them are receiving abuse? See where I’m going? Does it make it right? No. Is he blameless? No. Has he made problems for himself and added fuel to the fire? Yes. Start there and he might make some progress.
@1888JT: Fair play to James McClean every year the acceptance of the abuse aed at him gets ingored and normalised.
@Shablo2020: Racism is racism , all because he doesn’t want to wear a poppy commemorating English soldiers that brutally murdered innocent Irish civilians for years in our country! Hear nothing from the likes of @SkySportsNews or the @premierleague because they don’t really care do they
@LoganF67_: Bet you if James McClean was English or just wasn’t Irish overall this whole thing would be dealt with and the FA would actually care. #JusticeForMcClean
@Adamroooney1 as James McClean rages at the lack of support he’s received: The @SkySportsNews campaign against racism would make you laugh after the radio slience on the abuse towards James McClean? Doesn’t suit them to report on it.
@Ryanoc07: Anything about the abuse on James McClean? Threatening to burn his house down with his family inside! All forms of racism is wrong!!
@COc1_4: If a footballer got the message James McClean got today had a different skin colour the English media would be all over it but because he is Irish there won’t be a word said. #JamesMcClean
@jonoonbass: Some of the shit James McClean is getting is beyond atrocious, there’s no need for any of that to go on at all! Absolutely disgusting @Erineyy send my love to him please, we aren’t all the same.
@tnekmail: This is a more than fair point. McClean gets a tirade of abuse every year and it’s not on. Not when so many people refuse to listen to the issues he raises.
@DGabrielliSmith: The “he brings it on himself because of his views” is an absolutely pathetic excuse. He gets called a fenian cunt. That’s anti-Irish and racist. No argument. Doesn’t matter why he gets abused, the words aimed at him are racist.
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