James McClean Abuse

Being ex army I think he is a ****
He probably thinks I am a ****

If I was from his background then I probably wouldn’t wear a poppy.
If your in the public eye and put out the stuff he has in the past then you have to accept that booing will come with it.
I think he actually likes the booing against him. Again, if I was from his background then I probably would as he knows he gets under peoples skin.
 
His actions, as quoted above, in supporting a terrorist organisation (I don’t see them as fighting for the liberation of Ulster), donning a balaclava in front of young children, and playing in a country he abhors (I’m sure he could have played elsewhere for less money, say MLS or Australia) means that I believe he is a reprehensible, contemptible hypocrite.
However, that does not give me the right to hurl abuse at him from the safety and security of my seat.
 
BoroFur said:
I never intended to. Your position is as entrenched as mine so you wouldn't listen anyway.


I would disagree. Name any other Northern Irish person representing an English sports team who has been so disrespectful.


Who said anything about booing? In order to be facing in a different direction means you've made a conscious decision to turn away. And the bowing of the head was purely for him, not out of respect for a nation. None of his team-mates had their heads bowed but none of them turned away either which is the point I'mmaking.

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I'm sure they've got a controversial reputation in many places but that doesn't mean you should draw attention to yourself by obviosuly standing aside from your team-mates.
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I don't agree with him doing it, and I think he's a pillock for some of his behaviour, but none of it is anti-English as you've claimed.

Not least because most of it is British, not English, but the Royal Family and the military are not the country and disliking either doesn't mean you hate everything about the country.

There were plenty of comments I found disgraceful on here when the Queen died, but it didn't mean the posters hated the country.
 
TeaCider said:
A Northern Irish republican not standing at attention for the flag of England whilst God Save the Queen is being played is a natural reaction.
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So everything he does is fine, respectful and a natural reaction due his upbringing in 'Ireland'.

But anyone who has the temerity to boo him for any of his obvious attempts to wind up English people are abusing him and acting absurdly?

Even if it is natural reaction for people who were brought up in 'England' to be a bit pee'd off, especially if they have any military history in their families or have suffered at the hands of PIRA.

If he was a UK born muslim player who had elected to play for an Islamic nation, and took every opportunity he had to show support for terrorist organisations or deliberately disrespect the British establishment where he worked and lived he would have been censored by the FA by now.

He's a chewy bell-whiff who courts controversy and likes winding people up, if said people give him a bit back it is fair game.

Is booing or jeering any opposition player to be considered 'abuse' now?
 
In a way I can respect him for holding to his principles and not wearing a poppy because of Bloody Sunday. That said, there were atrocities on all sides and mostly the IRA who killed more innocent people then the British army. Republicans would never admit it but the IRA had to cease and sue for peace because they were riddled with informers.

One figure has quoted as many as one in three were informers in the end, almost half the organisation, possibly more. Gerry Adams knew this. And the informers went to the very top, ie Freddie Scappaticci ( Stakeknife) They did not have the manpower to continue and were very paranoid, and rightly so.

Sinn Fein are now trying to rewrite the narrative, 'revisionism' Only when they accept that the war was completely unnecessary will real peace prevail. That won't happen very soon because they have to take responsibility for the atrocities committed and all the deaths.

I wouldn't boo McClean myself. The people who boo and shout abuse are acting in a pack, 'Pack mentality'. If they were on their own they would probably stay silent. I think he enjoys the attention and booing negatively reinforces this. I recall Graeme Le Saux getting some disgusting, vile, homophobic abuse years ago in front of the north stand. I felt embarrassed to be a Boro fan that day tbh.

He was injured in the box. He stood up, turned and applauded the fans. The fans clapped back. I respected him that day for his reaction. It showed he was the bigger man.
 
Caesium137 said:
So everything he does is fine, respectful and a natural reaction due his upbringing in 'Ireland'.

But anyone who has the temerity to boo him for any of his obvious attempts to wind up English people are abusing him and acting absurdly.

Even if it is natural reaction for people who were brought up in 'England' to be a bit pee'd off, especially if they have any military history in their families or have suffered at the hands of PIRA.

If he was a UK born muslim player who had elected to play for an Islamic nation, and took every opportunity he had to show support for terrorist organisations or deliberately disrespect the British establishment where he worked and lived he would have been censored by the FA by now.

He's a chewy bell-whiff who courts controversy and likes winding people up, if said people give him a bit back it is fair game.

Is booing or jeering any opposition player to be considered 'abuse' now?
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I didn't say it was fine or respectful, I just fail to see how any of it is a sign that he "hates the English and everything English".

Not wanting your country to be British ruled and rejecting the symbols of that country that have special controversy in your community is different to hating "the English".

James McClean acting like a **** on social media doesn't really excuse fans acting like ***** for a decade, especially when the posts were long after the abuse had started because he didn't wish to wear a poppy.

My Dad served in Northern Ireland, suffered with PTSD from what happened to him over there, I've got as much reason as anyone to be angered by his endorsement of terrorists, but the abuse of James McClean started long before those comments and the comments were probably in part caused by the abuse.
 
TeaCider said:
I didn't say it was fine or respectful
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Nope you didn't, but you seem comfortable with justifying his actions/reactions as 'natural' but anyone who reacts to his actions as guilty of abuse.

Why aren't they both the same? He has said and endorsed some pretty deplorable things, and fans react to them. Blame on both sides.

Are any other northern Irish players booed and heckled? Are any other Catholics booed and heckled?

I agree he's been targeted since his initial poppy stance years ago, but rather than quietly go about his career and not wear a poppy and keep his politics to himself, he has chosen to escalate this situation at various times. Seemingly for 'bants' in some cases, or purely to wind up the Sun reading element who would have been booing him anyway. He has brought this on himself in recent years. If he didn't keep releasing statements about stuff or hilarious photos teaching his kids their 'history' he and his poppy stance would have been long forgotten.
 
TeaCider said:
I didn't say it was fine or respectful, I just fail to see how any of it is a sign that he "hates the English and everything English".

Not wanting your country to be British ruled and rejecting the symbols of that country that have special controversy in your community is different to hating "the English".

James McClean acting like a **** on social media doesn't really excuse fans acting like ***** for a decade, especially when the posts were long after the abuse had started because he didn't wish to wear a poppy.

My Dad served in Northern Ireland, suffered with PTSD from what happened to him over there, I've got as much reason as anyone to be angered by his endorsement of terrorists, but the abuse of James McClean started long before those comments and the comments were probably in part caused by the abuse.
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I have relatives who are Northern Irish nationalists and I can tell you now they are very anti-English.

I'm very interested in learning about what happened during the troubles and have actually made contact with ex-Republican prisoners in the past, as I was interested to hear their stories.

One of the men I contacted was one of the men convicted of killing two army corporals at an IRA funeral. We actually spoke for months but I realised over time just how bigoted he is. He said when will the English come to terms with their colonial past and said that Brexit tells you everything you need to know about the English. He didn't like it when I said I was from the North-East of England and the people here are largely some of the friendliest people you'll meet and salt of the earth.
 
It’s very true, but in saying that I lived in Ballsbridge for over a year and while the majority of the people were nice, I had to put up with some of hostility and abuse — none of which phased me mind you.

Sometimes old habits die hard and while I agree that the Irish have a lot to be upset about from the past sometimes we just have to bury the hatchet and get on with life and learn to somehow live together. Peace out.
 
‘He said when will the English come to terms with their colonial past and said that Brexit tells you everything you need to know about the English’

Pretty good that you took the trouble to reach out to try and understand,
I must admit though, The comment he made has some merit in it.

As for McClean - I understand his position.
I understand the abuse too.
 
1finny said:
‘He said when will the English come to terms with their colonial past and said that Brexit tells you everything you need to know about the English’

Pretty good that you took the trouble to reach out to try and understand,
I must admit though, The comment he made has some merit in it.

As for McClean - I understand his position.
I understand the abuse too.
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He was fairly amicable on the whole to be fair and did offer to show me around Belfast, particularly the Falls road.

Whereas his point about our colonial past may have merit though, he seemed to be very reluctant to accept criticism of the IRA's past. He said that the army's behaviour was disgraceful. I said that many who served will have been young lads who simply wanted to get through their placement with as little incident as possible, and pointed out that the security forces were responsible for 10% of the killings, to which he replied "it's not a numbers game". Yeah, it isn't a numbers game when it doesn't support your narrative.

He's now director of a restorative justice organisation, which works alongside the PSNI in tackling dissidents and trying to prevent punishment beatings. It's the main reason why I was intrigued to speak to him

Interesting guy in many ways but decided in the end he was somebody I wouldn't wish to meet.
 
parmoboy said:
He was fairly amicable on the whole to be fair and did offer to show me around Belfast, particularly the Falls road.

Whereas his point about our colonial past may have merit though, he seemed to be very reluctant to accept criticism of the IRA's past. He said that the army's behaviour was disgraceful. I said that many who served will have been young lads who simply wanted to get through their placement with as little incident as possible, and pointed out that the security forces were responsible for 10% of the killings, to which he replied "it's not a numbers game". Yeah, it isn't a numbers game when it doesn't support your narrative.

He's now director of a restorative justice organisation, which works alongside the PSNI in tackling dissidents and trying to prevent punishment beatings. It's the main reason why I was intrigued to speak to him

Interesting guy in many ways but decided in the end he was somebody I wouldn't wish to meet.
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Shame you didn’t get to go Belfast and have a look around.
I first started going to Belfast in the 80’s and have had the ‘proper tour’ courtesy of a security guard who could access all areas.
Some fascinating stories.
Had many fond memories though but haven’t been back since early 2000..


I remember one of many earliest business visits (there were still tanks and soldiers on the ground at this stage - scary).
The area manager took me to a client and it was clear the contract we had with them was in their favour. It was renegotiation time.
I was new to the business and was more than a little surprised that he didn’t put up much of a fight and renewed on the same terms.

I asked him why and he was very matter of fact.
’They are the publicity arm of the IRA and I’m not going to upset them….. are you’?
I took it as a rhetorical question
 
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