James McClean confirms he sang x-rated chant ‘at the top of his lungs’ and makes no apologies
Wrexham star James McClean has refused to apologize for taking part in an X-rated chant celebrating promotion to League One.
Like many Wrexham players, McClean celebrated with his supporters on the pitch as the Dragons clinched promotion from League Two this weekend and prepare for another summer party.
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Fans spotted the Ireland international in joyful scenes at the Racecourse following a 6-0 defeat to Forest Green on Saturday, with supporters singing a chant about him not liking King Charles.
McClean, who previously attracted attention for politely declining the option to have a poppy embroidered on his shirt to mark Remembrance Day, admitted he had been singing along with fans on social media.
Posting a screenshot of an article about the incident, the 34-year-old wrote: “Is this correct? Absolutely and I also sang at the top of my lungs.
Another caption read: “Do I apologize for this? Absolutely not.”
McClean signed for Wrexham, who were a newly promoted side, last summer after ending his second spell at Wigan. He also played for Sunderland and West Brom in the Premier League as well as Stoke, while he played 101 times for the Republic of Ireland.
Wrexham was visited by Prince William, heir to the throne and President of the FA in March, where he received a personalized jersey from club co-owner Rob McElhenney.
He met players Ben Tozer and Luke Young and said: “It’s a great achievement that you’re building here, everything you’ve started and achieved is fantastic, so moving forward and upwards is is exciting.
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“And anyone who is a true football fan wants to see you succeed.”
McClean, born into a Catholic community in Northern Ireland, suffered widespread abuse for choosing not to wear a poppy – as is his right – and has explained his position on several occasions, telling critics that he did not correspond to any of the labels with which he was accused. of.
In 2014 he even wrote a letter to Wigan chairman Dave Whelan, who he played for at the time, citing Bloody Sunday, when 13 unarmed civilians were killed during a civil rights march.
James McClean’s letter
“For people from the north of Ireland like me, and especially those from Derry, scene of the Bloody Sunday massacre of 1972, the poppy has come to mean something very different.
“Please understand, Mr Whelan, that when you come from Creggan like me or the Bogside, Brandywell or the majority of places in Derry, every person still lives in the shadow of one of the most darkest stories in Irish history – even if, like me, you were born almost 20 years after the event. It’s simply part of who we are, ingrained in us from birth.
“Mr Whelan, wearing a poppy would be as much a gesture of disrespect to the innocent people who lost their lives during the Troubles – and Bloody Sunday in particular – as I have been accused in the past of disrespecting the victims of WWI and WWII This would be seen as an act of disrespect to these people;
“I am neither a warmonger, nor an anti-British, nor a terrorist, nor any of the accusations made against me in the past. I’m a peaceful guy. I believe everyone should live side by side regardless of their religious or political beliefs which I respect and ask people to respect mine in return. Since last year, I have been a father and I want my daughter to grow up in a peaceful world, like any parent.
“I’m very proud of where I come from and I just can’t do something that I consider wrong. In life, if you are a man, you must stand up for what you believe in.
“I know you may not agree with my feelings, but I really hope you understand my reasons. As the owner of the club that I am proud to play for, I believe I owe this explanation to you and the club’s supporters.
The Royal British Legion, which organizes the poppy campaign, has also thrown its support behind McClean and insists it is his personal choice whether or not to wear the symbol.
The organization also condemned the abuse he suffered and the death threats received by his family.
“At the Royal British Legion we believe that discrimination, hatred and abusive behavior in any form has no place in our society and should not be tolerated,” a 2021 statement said.
“The poppy is a universal symbol that represents the sacrifices made in defense of freedom, and the decision to wear it should therefore be a matter of personal choice. Insisting that people wear a poppy would go against everything it stands for. We offer our full support to James for exercising his right to choose not to wear a poppy. »
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