James McClean said he takes offence at the poppy being “forced upon me” after standing by his ongoing refusal to take part in pre-match Remembrance Sunday commemorations.
Wrexham’s captain added will never “bend the knee to compromise my convictions” as he spoke out for the first time since standing separately to his team-mates during a minute’s silence.
The 35-year-old Irishman has stood against the annual tradition throughout his career after he first refused to wear a poppy in 2012.
Wrexham fans were heard singing “he hates the f—— King” after the silence concluded, to which the former Stoke winger reportedly applauded ahead of kick-off.
However, as games across the country this weekend paid respects to those fallen in war, McClean wrote on Instagram that the “poppy represents for me an entirely different meaning to what it does for others”.
Having stood away from his team-mates during commemorations ahead of a 1-0 win over Mansfield Town, he posted on Instagram: “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 entirely 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 try be [sic] forced upon me.”
‘I never have and never will wear a poppy’
McClean grew up on Derry’s Creggan estate, the birthplace of many of the 14 people killed in the 1972 Bloody Sunday massacre, when British soldiers killed unarmed civilians during a protest.
“The poppy which originally stood for World War 1 and 2 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,” McClean added.
“That is why I never have and never will wear a poppy. If the poppy’s sole purpose was to honour world war 1 and 2 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 … One thing I never have and never will do, is bend the knee to compromise my convictions.”
McClean’s wife Erin had also posted on social media: “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.”
