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James McClean has revealed the sickening abuse he received on social media threatening to set his house on fire while his family were inside.

The Stoke midfielder posted a statement on Instagram urging more support against anti-Irish abuse.

McClean (left) has been abused by fans many times over the years

Getty Images – Getty

McClean (left) has been abused by fans many times over the years

And the 31-year-old has since shared a vile direct message he received over the weekend.

The message from the account read: “don’t make me set your house on fire and burn everyone inside it”. McClean also highlighted three more messages that were sent to him.

The Republic of Ireland international called the troll a ‘wee d*******’ and challenged him to repeat the insults to his face.

He added: “Honestly god I’d happily slap the head of (sic) him.”

McClean shed light on the abuse he received recently

Instagram @macajw

McClean shed light on the abuse he received recently

The Football Association of Ireland has since offered its support to McClean with his wife revealing she once watched a match in fear after someone threatened to take a gun to the game.

Erin detailed at length on social media on Monday the abuse the couple have had to deal with over the years, including being spat at and shouted at, and said: “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.”

She added: “There isn’t a day that goes by that either one of us don’t receive a message of some sort, whether it be a threat, or else telling us to get the f*** out of England.”

FAI chief executive Jonathan Hill issued a statement on Monday evening condemning the abuse.


“The Football Association of Ireland condemns the latest social media threats aimed at senior Irish international team player James McClean and offers James and his family our full support at this difficult time,” he said.

“The Association has reached out to James in light of this most recent incident and assured him that the FAI will assist him in any way it can.”

Hill continued: “The FAI remains committed to safeguarding all of our players against any form of abuse on any social media platform. To abuse or threaten James or any player because of his nationality should not be tolerated by society. Unfortunately, such behaviour is all too common now on social media.

“Only last week we commended the stance taken by English football against the abuse of footballers across all social media channels and we are examining how best we can take a similar stance.”

In an interview with talkSPORT last July, McClean called on football’s authorities to offer him more support amid the abuse he and other pros have received online.

James McClean explains social media post and asks ‘where’s my support?’ after being abused for last nine years

McClean said: “I’m seeing all this support for David McGoldrick, Wilfried Zaha and Raheem Sterling and that and rightly so, I don’t want to take away from the attention and the support they’re getting because it’s bang on, it’s absolutely correct and so they should.

“The point I was trying to make was, it leaves a sour taste in my mouth because I’m seeing all this support and I’m thinking, ‘I’ve been abused for the last nine years, where’s my support been? Where’s my level of attention?’

“And when I say attention, I’m not looking for attention, in my mind discrimination is discrimination, but it almost seems that one holds a higher precedence over another, and that’s what irritates me.

“I’m not asking for sympathy or looking for attention, I’m just asking for equality, that’s it really.”

McClean is one of many players to have been abused online

Getty Images – Getty

McClean is one of many players to have been abused online

Social media companies have been urged to do more to tackle hate and abuse.

Anthony Martial was racially abused on Instagram following Manchester United’s draw at West Brom on Sunday, while Newcastle boss Steve Bruce told talkSPORT he’s received death threats.

Instagram have promised to impose stricter penalties including deleting accounts.

McClean has been targeted in the past for refusing to wear a poppy in the lead up to Remembrance Day.

The player, who was born in Northern Ireland, wrote an open letter citing the 1972 Bloody Sunday massacre, which saw the British Army kill 13 people and injure 15 more as 15,000 protestors gathered in the streets of Derry, as his reason.



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