'DO YOUR WORST'
James McClean hits back at ‘uneducated cavemen’ after Middlesbrough thugs throw missiles and are held back by stewards as they abuse Stoke winger over refusal to wear poppy
JAMES MCCLEAN has blasted fans who abused him and threw missiles at him over his decision not to wear a poppy in yesterday's 0-0 draw between Stoke and Middlesbrough.
The Potters' winger was pelted with objects from the away end at full-time at the bet365 Stadium due to his stance.
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And it appears the 29-year-old Irishman has blasted sections of the Stoke support too, who "sing their anti Irish song each game".
The Derry man took to Instagram, fuming: "Your abuse, your throwing things, your booing, do your worst.
"To the home fans that are actually educated and support me, thank yous.
"To the section of uneducated cavemen in left hand corner of the boothen end stand that want to song their anti irish song each game and call me a fenian this and that.. i am a PROUD FENIAN no c@#t will ever change that, so sing away."
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He earlier posted a quote from Bobby Sands, the Provisional IRA member who died on hunger strike while in prison in Northern Ireland in 1981.
He wrote: "They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal that can break the spirit of one Irishman who doesn’t want to be broken."
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McClean had to be ushered down the tunnel by stewards at the end of the Championship clash after Boro fans hurled abuse from the stands.
The Stoke man is a native of Derry, Northern Ireland, site of the 1972 Bloody Sunday tragedy in which 14 civilians were killed in clashes with the British Army.
He believes the poppy commemorates all British military activity, including the Bloody Sunday killings in his hometown.
Justifying his decision back in 2014, he wrote: "If the poppy was simply about World War One and Two victims alone, I'd wear it without a problem.
"But for those in Derry, scene of the 1972 Bloody Sunday massacre, the poppy has come to mean something very different."
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He has taken the same decision at previous clubs Sunderland, Wigan and West Brom.
McClean said in a statement issued by Stoke before the weekend: "I know many people won't agree with my decision or even attempt to gain an understanding of why I don't wear a poppy.
"I accept that but I would ask people to be respectful of the choice I have made, just as I'm respectful of people who do choose to wear a poppy."
SunSport has contacted both Stoke and Middlesbrough for comment on the incident.
It reported how Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic also refused to wear a poppy on his shirt for the game against Bournemouth.
It's understood that his choice was a personal decision and a private matter that United have respected.
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