POLICE IN ENGLAND are investigating death threats made against Sunderland winger James McClean following his decision not to wear a poppy.
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Black Cats manager Martin O’Neill again defended McClean after the 23-year-old was booed by a section of fans when he came on as a substitute during yesterday’s 3-1 win at Fulham.
The news comes as another rising Irish international, Donegal defender Seamus Coleman, was also targeted by abusive messages on Twitter following the weekend’s Premier League action.
McClean was the only Sunderland player not to wear a jersey embroidered with a poppy on Remembrance Weekend. Although Sunderland said that the decision was a “personal choice,” the Derry native sparked a public debate with many criticising him while others supported his right to choose.
Northumbria Police are investigating reports of death threats made against McClean, BBC said on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Everton have condemned the Twitter abuse received by Coleman following the Toffees’ 2-1 defeat at Reading.
Coleman, who was named man of the match following his impressive performance for Ireland against Greece, was criticised after he conceded the late penalty which allowed Adam LeFondre to score Reading’s winner on Saturday.
“We 100% abhor every single one of those comments made by mindless individuals who have shown no respect for the strong links Everton has with its Irish supporters,” a club spokesman told the Donegal News.
You have to bear in mind that any ill feeling was exasperated by the Daily Mail, a paper by tools for tools, who probably don’t realise that it isn’t in the spirit of remembering the fallen to try to start a fight.
It’s kinda ironic that these idiots are threatening McClean over his beliefs. Did the British army not go to war to fight against this kind of fascism . Well done to the FA another blinder played good sirs !
It’s completely a personal thing some people have those god fish on their cars I don’t hear people beeping at them ? I also never see the fairies whose dust powers others cars but its up to them.
I work in England and wouldn’t wear the poppy as a personal choice, is McClean not allowed do the same? Being honest, if my employer made me wear a political symbol of any kind I wouldn’t be very impressed….
@Adrian. I presume you’d wear a poppy to remember the fallen soldiers, while at the same time voice the kind of intolerance they fought against. It’s people like you who want the token display rather than actually defending an individual’s personal rights and freedom of expression that the men of WW1 died for.
Idiotic Comment! James McClean grew up in Derry where not too long ago the British Army massacred 13 innocent people marching for civil rights! A tragedy which the British covered up for almost 40yrs and still refuse to this day to bring the perpetrators to justice! So why should an Irish man from Derry wear a poppy of which the proceeds go to benefit soldiers who served and played a part in atrocities in Northern Ireland?
The poppy which could be a symbol to remember all war dead from all wars has been exploited by the Royal British Legion and its promotion and intimidating/guilting people into wearing them is a kind of fascism!
I would support the wearing of a white poppy to remember all war dead!
To be fair to the British Legion I don’t think that it is guilty of poppy facism. There are ultra nationalist morons in every country (we have more than our fair share here) who will jump up and down at any excuse.
Basically the same as refusing to wear a part of a work uniform. When in Rome etc, there is Africans, Germans, Arabs, etc, playing in Premier League that come from countries where British have killed lots of people. Bloody Sunday? McClean was born in 1989 ffs
Xadovan
silly comment
the British poppy is not like a work uniform
WW2 was about 100 years ago ffs.
fair play to James McClean for standing up the the bullies & the bigots.
unfortunately – not many other Irish have the principles or courage of James.
we see them wearing the poppy on a regular basis on British TV.
All that fallen comrades remembrance is genuine crap. As I stated in my comment last week on poppy day about the Brit owned pub here in Florida with 90% of customers Brits, not one of them wearing the poppy. Are they idiots too?
It was James McCleans own personal choice not to wear the poppy, however if he expected anything other than a very negative reaction then he must be very naive. There will always be a percentage of people who will take an extreme view of what he did and that is their right to. Guess he will just have to deal with it as the old saying goes “you make your bed then lie on it”. Seamus Colemans abuse was for giving away the penalty in the Reading game the same way Kyle Walker got abuse for being at fault for Chelsea’s third goal against Tottenham.
Not accurate I’m afraid Anthony – it benefits the British Legion , in the UK, financially .
I can understand people not wearing them who just hate the idea of war and the murder of human beings which it prolog area and promotes .
Just examine the photo of the four innocent children and the other seven members of their family, murdered yesterday by the Israeli Government, to recognise the absolute ridicule of , as my Daughter so rightly described today – “old bitter men’s wars”
There is absolutely no glorying in any war , in my humble opinion!
Well i dont think he should get death threats over not wearing a poppy thats just plain stupid and totaly out of line.
As far as i am concerned he has a choice to wear or not to wear a poppy good for him for standing on his beleifs/morals/whatever.
But to expect NOT to get abuse from the terraces is just silly. He is after all playing football where players will have abuse hurled at them for just about anything and everything.
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they sent him pictures of bullets, seems the recession is hitting the bnp too
You have to bear in mind that any ill feeling was exasperated by the Daily Mail, a paper by tools for tools, who probably don’t realise that it isn’t in the spirit of remembering the fallen to try to start a fight.
They seem to have a lot of clout though. There wasn’t this level of silliness about poppies even 10 years ago.
James McClean has the right to do what he wants – no question.
But so does Rory McIlroy – he should be allowed to represent team GB without condemnation from down here as well.
It’s kinda ironic that these idiots are threatening McClean over his beliefs. Did the British army not go to war to fight against this kind of fascism . Well done to the FA another blinder played good sirs !
idiots, no problem playing in England, but difficulty honouring fallen troops who were also Catholics from Ireland!
It’s completely a personal thing some people have those god fish on their cars I don’t hear people beeping at them ? I also never see the fairies whose dust powers others cars but its up to them.
I work in England and wouldn’t wear the poppy as a personal choice, is McClean not allowed do the same? Being honest, if my employer made me wear a political symbol of any kind I wouldn’t be very impressed….
Agree or disagree with his decision but at the the end of day it is down to individual choice that should be respected.
@Adrian. I presume you’d wear a poppy to remember the fallen soldiers, while at the same time voice the kind of intolerance they fought against. It’s people like you who want the token display rather than actually defending an individual’s personal rights and freedom of expression that the men of WW1 died for.
Idiotic Comment! James McClean grew up in Derry where not too long ago the British Army massacred 13 innocent people marching for civil rights! A tragedy which the British covered up for almost 40yrs and still refuse to this day to bring the perpetrators to justice! So why should an Irish man from Derry wear a poppy of which the proceeds go to benefit soldiers who served and played a part in atrocities in Northern Ireland?
The poppy which could be a symbol to remember all war dead from all wars has been exploited by the Royal British Legion and its promotion and intimidating/guilting people into wearing them is a kind of fascism!
I would support the wearing of a white poppy to remember all war dead!
To be fair to the British Legion I don’t think that it is guilty of poppy facism. There are ultra nationalist morons in every country (we have more than our fair share here) who will jump up and down at any excuse.
It’s only a political symbol because you choose to make it one!
Because it symbolize’s the respect for the 100,000 Irish men who died, so you could have the freedom to express your opinions!
Basically the same as refusing to wear a part of a work uniform. When in Rome etc, there is Africans, Germans, Arabs, etc, playing in Premier League that come from countries where British have killed lots of people. Bloody Sunday? McClean was born in 1989 ffs
Xadovan
silly comment
the British poppy is not like a work uniform
WW2 was about 100 years ago ffs.
fair play to James McClean for standing up the the bullies & the bigots.
unfortunately – not many other Irish have the principles or courage of James.
we see them wearing the poppy on a regular basis on British TV.
Yeah it’s called freedom of choice Adrian, deal with it!
All that fallen comrades remembrance is genuine crap. As I stated in my comment last week on poppy day about the Brit owned pub here in Florida with 90% of customers Brits, not one of them wearing the poppy. Are they idiots too?
Lmao WW2 was 30 years before Bloody Sunday, it’s amazing how selective those without a valid argument can be!
The people who died so I, in Ireland, could freely express myself, were the ones who ended British rule.
Ah I see, so you would have happily accepted Nazi rule, as long as it wasn’t the Brits! Nothing blinkered in that view point at all.
what would the lads of the 1916 rising think.
they would think holy shit im still alive.
“We 10% abhor every single one of those comments”
10%? Really? And the other 90% they’re kinda ok with it?
Read the article again
Typo fixed now Damocles, thanks.
It was initially 10% they only changed it after Damocles and my own comments
Class typo, Niall, thanks.
They fought for freedom, which I presume also includes the freedom to choose not to wear a poppy………
It was James McCleans own personal choice not to wear the poppy, however if he expected anything other than a very negative reaction then he must be very naive. There will always be a percentage of people who will take an extreme view of what he did and that is their right to. Guess he will just have to deal with it as the old saying goes “you make your bed then lie on it”. Seamus Colemans abuse was for giving away the penalty in the Reading game the same way Kyle Walker got abuse for being at fault for Chelsea’s third goal against Tottenham.
Seamas Coleman wore the poppy – why the abuse?
coleman got abuse for supporting mclean decision but the abuse he is getting is mainly for giving away a penelty on saturday
The poppy is not just for Britain , it’s also for France , Belgium , Germany , Ireland etc & all over who fought in WW1
Not accurate I’m afraid Anthony – it benefits the British Legion , in the UK, financially .
I can understand people not wearing them who just hate the idea of war and the murder of human beings which it prolog area and promotes .
Just examine the photo of the four innocent children and the other seven members of their family, murdered yesterday by the Israeli Government, to recognise the absolute ridicule of , as my Daughter so rightly described today – “old bitter men’s wars”
There is absolutely no glorying in any war , in my humble opinion!
Well i dont think he should get death threats over not wearing a poppy thats just plain stupid and totaly out of line.
As far as i am concerned he has a choice to wear or not to wear a poppy good for him for standing on his beleifs/morals/whatever.
But to expect NOT to get abuse from the terraces is just silly. He is after all playing football where players will have abuse hurled at them for just about anything and everything.
I dont know bout u but if I want to remember the proud men who fought for us I wear my easter lily not a poppy
This again, its the same every year though
What about the other 90% ? we 10% abhor the other 90% were on twitter giving him stick !