James McLean refuses to wear poppy

Apparently James McLean was dropped from the Wigan team because he wouldn't wear the shirt with a poppy on it!
Http://www.independent.ie/sport/wigan-d ... 42127.html

Owen Coyle has said he was injured. Even if he was dropped for not wanting to wear a poppy I wouldn't be surprised. There was a lot of coverage when he did the same thing last year.

Seem to forget that over 200,000 Irishmen actually fought in WW1 on many fronts.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland_and_World_War_I

The Argentinian players always wear it and as far as I'm concerned they have far more reason to refuse to wear it.

Another hyprocrite that seems to hate Britian yet enjoy the British way of life

I worked for an Irish company in the 80's, in the UK - top brass refused point blank to wear a poppy in my store.

Whilst I disagreed violently with their point if view, I did accept that they had a different perspective on the whole issue. Not saying they were right (cos they weren't) but did appreciate that we weren't flavour of the month in the Free state for a reason, usually unpleasant ones.

Each to their own- last thing we want is a dictatorship of the mind. If this fella wants to disown our belief in the poppy appeal that is up to him I say - let him do it and face the consequences, not be protected by a mystery injury.

I worked for an Irish company in the 80's, in the UK - top brass refused point blank to wear a poppy in my store.

Whilst I disagreed violently with their point if view, I did accept that they had a different perspective on the whole issue. Not saying they were right (cos they weren't) but did appreciate that we weren't flavour of the month in the Free state for a reason, usually unpleasant ones.

Each to their own- last thing we want is a dictatorship of the mind. If this fella wants to disown our belief in the poppy appeal that is up to him I say - let him do it and face the consequences, not be protected by a mystery injury.

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Fenian b*stard should f**k off and play in the Irish league

The Poppy represents loss of war.

Not the sides of the fence.


Wanker full stop.

Hyprocrite full stop, takes a serious good wage from an English club. Has a very good lifestyle in the UK, I'm sure he as most citizens in Northern Ireland who qualify, hold both a British and an Irish passport so they are getting the best of both worlds.

This guy should never play for a British team again, total disgrace. As a previous post says the poppy is to remember the war dead not just the British, a serious number of Irish citizens also lost their lives during the great war and many still serve in the Armed forces today.

I wonder how he feels about his beloved LONDONderry becoming UK city of culture ?

Makes me sick - BIGOT ............... no other word.

Many irish died during the wars - problem is when you are bainwashed in these areas education does not come into it.

He also has a face like Lennon - one you wouldnt want to stop punching

I understand why he wouldnt want to wear one. I myself have great respect for human life but the thing the British soldiers did to the Irish ,in there own county was horrific ,and just maybe his Great grandparents suffered from this.

It was told to the Black & Tans ,the more you kill the more I will like you .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVcD8MgpkyY

Its his right whether he wears one or not.

Its his right whether he wears one or not.

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Its his right whether he wears one or not.

Do you take the same view with red shirt verses blue one ???

Its his right whether he wears one or not.

Do you take the same view with red shirt verses blue one ???

how can you compare the two?

Its his right whether he wears one or not.

Yes and while I disagree with his decision, this is exactly what our soldiers faught and fight for, free will.

Its his right whether he wears one or not.

Do you take the same view with red shirt verses blue one ???

how can you compare the two?

My point excatly - people are far more excitable over a shirt colour ( although Im blue thru and thru and will never buy anything red ) and will make a stance over that more so than the poppy representation

I understand why he wouldnt want to wear one. I myself have great respect for human life but the thing the British soldiers did to the Irish ,in there own county was horrific ,and just maybe his Great grandparents suffered from this.

Here we go, Irish propaganda at it's best. Well history shows they were no angels and many British and Irish civilians were massacred by the Irish republicans for no reason, other than just being British or Irish that did not agree with them.

What about all the atrocities of the cowardly IRA -hiding being women, children, and masks, that is some army. How dare they call themselves an army.
While many Irish were fighting along side the British in WW1, the cowards of the IRA movement started a "revolution" against the British and mainly in support of the Germans who we were at war with. How do you think the Irish in Flanders and the Somme battlefield felt when they heard about their own people at home attacking the British soldiers (shooting them in the back), and in many ways helping the Germans they themselves were fighting?

I understand why he wouldnt want to wear one. I myself have great respect for human life but the thing the British soldiers did to the Irish ,in there own county was horrific ,and just maybe his Great grandparents suffered from this.

Here we go, Irish propaganda at it's best. Well history shows they were no angels and many British and Irish civilians were massacred by the Irish republicans for no reason, other than just being British or Irish that did not agree with them.

What about all the atrocities of the cowardly IRA -hiding being women, children, and masks, that is some army. How dare they call themselves an army.
While many Irish were fighting along side the British in WW1, the cowards of the IRA movement started a "revolution" against the British and mainly in support of the Germans who we were at war with. How do you think the Irish in Flanders and the Somme battlefield felt when they heard about their own people at home attacking the British soldiers (shooting them in the back), and in many ways helping the Germans they themselves were fighting?

What would you expect from WelshCityDragon. I bet he has mates in the Free Wales Army who were best buddies with both the IRA and Basque separatists for many years.

The lad is from Derry. Anyone who doesn't realise why some people from Derry wouldn't want to wear a poppy really should take time out to find out.

I respect his stance. We are human beings, we are all different with our own morals and history and if he feels he can't wear one then I respect it. For all we know loved ones of his were killed by the British army in Derry..we just don't know his reasoning.

Either way, I am proud of the poppy, mainly because for me growing up it was a symbol of respecting the defeat of fascism. There is nothing British about forcing people to wear a poppy. People should choose and we should respect it.

If you want to live in a country that forces people to do things, invent a time machine and go back to 1930's Germany.

I'm from a military family, I respect what the poppy means to me and my history, but I also respect that it doesn't mean that to some others.

Personally I respect him for having the courage of his convictions.

Anyone who has slated him without looking into it, take five minutes of your time to read this article:-

http://www.irishpost.co.uk/sport/sports ... -the-poppy

& see if your opinion is still the same. I respect his stance & our country is not a dictatorship.. It's his choice to do whatever he feels is right.

The lad is from Derry. Anyone who doesn't realise why some people from Derry wouldn't want to wear a poppy really should take time out to find out.

I respect his stance. We are human beings, we are all different with our own morals and history and if he feels he can't wear one then I respect it. For all we know loved ones of his were killed by the British army in Derry..we just don't know his reasoning.

Either way, I am proud of the poppy, mainly because for me growing up it was a symbol of respecting the defeat of fascism. There is nothing British about forcing people to wear a poppy. People should choose and we should respect it.

If you want to live in a country that forces people to do things, invent a time machine and go back to 1930's Germany.

I'm from a military family, I respect what the poppy means to me and my history, but I also respect that it doesn't mean that to some others.

Personally I respect him for having the courage of his convictions.

Well surely if he come out with his reasoning then people would respect him for it and with respect what happened in Derry during the 60's/70's has no meaning regarding WW1 where over 200,000 Irishmen on both sides of the divide fought alongside each other within the British Army against Germany.

Anyone who has slated him without looking into it, take five minutes of your time to read this article:-

http://www.irishpost.co.uk/sport/sports ... -the-poppy

& see if your opinion is still the same. I respect his stance & our country is not a dictatorship.. It's his choice to do whatever he feels is right.

Typical Irish propaganda as nothing was stated about Martin McGuinness being heavily involved on Bloody Sunday

Its his right whether he wears one or not.

Do you take the same view with red shirt verses blue one ???

Yup, people can wear red if they want, people can wear blue if they want. It doesnt bother me in the slightest.

I was going to post about this, Coyle denies it but something in the back of my head thought he had previously refused to wear one.


How would people feel if say our star player Medel refused to wear one? In your own personal opinion should the manager still play him?

I was going to post about this, Coyle denies it but something in the back of my head thought he had previously refused to wear one.


How would people feel if say our star player Medel refused to wear one? In your own personal opinion should the manager still play him?

I served in Northern Ireland and tbh, there's a lot of blinkered views on here!

If Bloody Sunday was a British Army atrocity, then it is far outweighed by the atrocities carried out by the IRA & INLA!

I'm not saying that 2 wrongs make a right and I'm not forgetting some of the atrocities carried out by the respective Protestant organisations either, who were pretty ruthless and inhumane in some of the acts they carried out towards their deemed Catholic adversaries!

To be fair to McClean, if he's from Derry and a Catholic as has been posted on here, then I believe that Coyle is wrong to not pick him because of his beliefs!

There's a chance that McClean could be happy to wear a poppy, but can you imagine the grief he would get from his neighbourhood should he return home and the grief his family back in Derry would get, should he choose to wear the poppy?

I was going to post about this, Coyle denies it but something in the back of my head thought he had previously refused to wear one.


How would people feel if say our star player Medel refused to wear one? In your own personal opinion should the manager still play him?

I served in Northern Ireland and tbh, there's a lot of blinkered views on here!

If Bloody Sunday was a British Army atrocity, then it is far outweighed by the atrocities carried out by the IRA & INLA!

I'm not saying that 2 wrongs make a right and I'm not forgetting some of the atrocities carried out by the respective Protestant organisations either, who were pretty ruthless and inhumane in some of the acts they carried out towards their deemed Catholic adversaries!

To be fair to McClean, if he's from Derry and a Catholic as has been posted on here, then I believe that Coyle is wrong to not pick him because of his beliefs!

There's a chance that McClean could be happy to wear a poppy, but can you imagine the grief he would get from his neighbourhood should he return home and the grief his family back in Derry would get, should he choose to wear the poppy?

The key word you said there was 'if'.

I was going to post about this, Coyle denies it but something in the back of my head thought he had previously refused to wear one.


How would people feel if say our star player Medel refused to wear one? In your own personal opinion should the manager still play him?

I served in Northern Ireland and tbh, there's a lot of blinkered views on here!

If Bloody Sunday was a British Army atrocity, then it is far outweighed by the atrocities carried out by the IRA & INLA!

I'm not saying that 2 wrongs make a right and I'm not forgetting some of the atrocities carried out by the respective Protestant organisations either, who were pretty ruthless and inhumane in some of the acts they carried out towards their deemed Catholic adversaries!

To be fair to McClean, if he's from Derry and a Catholic as has been posted on here, then I believe that Coyle is wrong to not pick him because of his beliefs!

There's a chance that McClean could be happy to wear a poppy, but can you imagine the grief he would get from his neighbourhood should he return home and the grief his family back in Derry would get, should he choose to wear the poppy?

The key word you said there was 'if'.

That's why I typed If!