Former Derry City winger James McClean was dropped by Wigan Athletic for their Sky Bet Championship game against Yeovil Town this afternoon for not wearing a Remembrance Poppy.
James McClean
It is not the first time the Creggan man has refused to wear the emblem. The Republic of Ireland international received death threats and a storm of criticism when he refused to wear the poppy while playing for Sunderland last year.
On that occasion he wore a normal shirt for the game against Everton in the lead-up to Remembrance Sunday, rather than one embroidered with a poppy.
At the time, McClean auctioned his own poppy-less shirt for a children’s charity and he insisted he would do the same again.
“People have their own opinions,'” he said. “They have their beliefs and I have mine. I don’t regret it, come next year I’m going to do the same thing.”
He was supported at the time by his club and international team-mate John O’Shea, who said the whole team were behind his decision.
Speaking earlier this year, he said: “I got a lot of flak from everybody,” McClean added, “but I’ll say it again, it doesn’t bother me. Every year I’m not going to wear it, so I’ll take whatever comes.”
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