Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
MCCLEAN DEATH THREAT HELL
Footballer’s wife hits out after troll said he’d burn down home with family inside
&
VILE abuse sent to footballer James Mcclean “daily for almost a decade” has plunged his family into fear.
The Derry star’s wife Erin last night opened up after an online troll threatened to burn down their house.
She said: “What we cannot accept is threatening our family home and our children’s lives.”
FOOTBALLER James Mcclean has shared a sick message he received over the weekend from a troll threatening to burn his house down.
The Ireland ace last week again highlighted the racist abuse he has suffered in England after football chiefs called on social media companies to tighten up.
The EFL, Premier League and PFA sent an open letter to the bosses of Facebook and Twitter with a four-point plan aimed at clamping down on online hate.
Taking to Instagram on Friday, the Stoke City player, 31, wrote: “Banging my head against a brick wall here but look I have been doing that anyways for a long time so one more wont make a difference.
“So much coverage this past couple weeks about discrimination and the condemnation of it across media outlets, players, ex players etc which is great to see because its wrong and idiots should be held responsible for their actions and words as nobody should be subjected to that.
“Make no mistake about it, or to take anything away from that, but just to pose the question really, racism, gender, ethnic... the list of discrimination that goes on is unacceptable. Right, my question is here... is being abused for being Irish and anti-irish abuse acceptable?
“Is it not popular enough to be seen to be acknowledged or spoken out about too? I have highlighted the abuse publicly on social media recently and the silence from everyone is deafening. If you are offended by me saying that then maybe that tells you something.”
Following the post, the Derry man was sent a number of abusive messages on Instagram.
They read: “God I hope for everyone’s sake you would just f*** off outta this world.
“F*** the IRA and f*** Ireland you c***. Answer me you stupid ginger p **** .
“Don’t make me set your house on fire and burn everyone inside it.”
Sharing the messages, Mcclean wrote: “Right wee d ******* s like this, the above abuse fine that’s water off a duck’s back stuff to show their mates, ‘Aww look at me hard...’ You mention stuff like last message there and anything involving my kids that’s crossing the line and if this wee p **** wants to come forward and repeat this to my face honestly God I’d happily slap the head of him.” Mcclean’s wife Erin yesterday made a passionate defence of her husband.
She wrote: “I’ve always kept relatively quiet about the abuse James, myself and the family receive because I don’t like giving people the platform and it has become part of our daily lives this last
nine years.
“There isn’t a day that goes by that either one of us doesn’t receive a message of some sort, whether it be a threat, or else telling us to get the f*** out of England.
“We can take the name calling and the rest but what we cannot accept is
We have been spat at.. nights out ruined by people’s remarks ERIN MCCLEAN YESTERDAY
threatening our family home and our children’s lives.
“They don’t deserve this. Why after nine years of constant abuse should we be OK and have to accept receiving these threats constantly?
“We have been spat at, shouted at, nights out have been ruined by people making remarks towards him.
“I even remember once someone threatened him saying they were taking a gun with them to a certain match and I can still remember watching that match in absolute fear on the TV.
“People say he brings it on himself and he doesn’t help himself but he has only ever done something to react to the abuse he has received first.
“James is a truly good person, he loves nothing more than chilling at home with the kids. He can react to situations for sure but he never initiates them. Many don’t understand his beliefs and that is completely fine.
“We don’t expect you to understand but those people who judge him for that do not know or try to understand where we grew up and the history of our city.
“If they did they would see past his decision and judge him solely on his football.”