By Sean Ryan
Irish soccer International James McClean, 26, has been the subject of more abuse on Twitter after he allegedly turned his back on a rendition of ‘God Save The Queen’ during his club’s friendly in the United States.
The Derryman, a €2.5m summer signing from Wigan Athletic, allegedly turned his back on the Union Jack during a friendly match between West Brom and South Carolinan outfit, Charleston Battery at the Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston.
Skip to 3.28 in the video.
Abuse has been raining down on James McClean on Twitter after a picture emerged showing him bowing his head and turning away from the flag when the British national anthem was played at a friendly on Saturday. Some of the comments have been telling the Irish winger “to go back and play in the League of Ireland”.
National anthems are not typically played before club friendlies. However, West Brom are in America at present and the home side decided to honour the clubs with a rendition of both country’s national anthems.
If you choose to take tens of thousands of pounds a week in this country then don't show faux disgust for it #jamesmcclean
— Greg Paterson (@GP) July 19, 2015
The controversy is nothing new to the 27 times capped Republic of Ireland winger. He has consistently refused to wear a poppy in the Premier League as part of the Remembrance Sunday commemorations.
There is not a person in the world I hate more than James McClean!
— Lewis Shepherd (@lewisshepherd12) July 19, 2015
Last year he refused to wear a poppy on his shirt when he lined out for Wigan against Bolton in a Championship game. Explaining his decision in an open letter to Wigan club chairman Dave Whelan he said: ”The poppy is used to remember victims of other conflicts since 1945 and this is where the problem starts for me.
The only place James McClean should be standing is the dole queue
— Roaring Meg (@RoaringMeg1872) July 19, 2015
“For people from the North of Ireland such as myself, and specifically those in Derry, scene of the 1972 Bloody Sunday massacre, the poppy has come to mean something very different.
“For me to wear a poppy would be as much a gesture of disrespect for the innocent people who lost their lives in the Troubles – and Bloody Sunday”.
A West Brom club spokesperson refused to comment on the incident, the Baggies went on to win the game 2-1.