McClean Claps Back at Birmingham Fans After Incident at St Andrew’s
James McClean has never been one to shy away from controversy, and his latest outburst on social media is no exception. The Wrexham winger was at the center of a heated altercation with Birmingham City fans during Monday’s League One clash at St Andrew’s, and he’s not afraid to speak his mind about the incident.
McClean was involved in several fiery moments throughout the match, including a confrontation with Birmingham’s Alex Cochrane that sparked a brawl between the two sets of players. The Republic of Ireland international was eventually taken off the pitch with around seven minutes remaining in normal time, but not before goading the home fans with a show of defiance.
In a series of Instagram posts, McClean fired back at the Birmingham fans who subjected him to abuse throughout the match. "They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal that can break the spirit of an Irishman who doesn’t want to be broken," he wrote, referencing a quote from IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands.
McClean also took aim at a Birmingham fan who threw a cup of beer at him, catching it and pretending to drink before throwing it away. "Fair play to the one old steward that held them all back from getting over the 2ft advertising hoardings," he added.
The winger later posted a second picture of himself catching the cup, which featured a Birmingham fan in the background. "In fairness to this smelly fat gammon, he probs didn’t have the energy or mobility to step over the hoarding," he wrote.
McClean’s antics are nothing new. The 33-year-old has been a lightning rod for controversy throughout his career, including his refusal to wear a poppy on his shirt following his arrival in English football with Sunderland in 2011. He’s also been known to make his own controversial comments, including a joke about giving his children a lesson on Irish history while wearing an IRA-style balaclava.
In 2022, he accused the FA of failing to act on the "sickening" abuse he and his family had faced since arriving in England. "Everyone who attended the game would have heard this loud and clear including the referee, match officials and other officials," he wrote on social media. "I should not have to report every single incident when clearly they can all hear what I hear and they should be doing their job by taking action."
So, what’s the takeaway from McClean’s latest outburst? It’s clear that he’s not afraid to stand up for himself and his family in the face of adversity. But is his approach effective? That’s a question for another time.
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