James McClean has chosen not to wear a Remembrance Day poppy on his shirt again this year. Stoke have released a statement on the matter.
➡ https://t.co/snUGkVVvMD pic.twitter.com/VWWylTiN2J
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) October 30, 2018
They remember him.
James McClean: Stoke player again decides not to wear poppy on shirt (BBC)
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knock yourself out, charger…
The toxic tan will HAVE to comment.
As I wrote on here a couple of days ago and this time last year millions died just so McClean could exercise his right not to wear a poppy.
In much the same way as Muslim players choose not to wear shirts adorned with alcohol sponsors.
And the England cricket team wait for Moen Ali to depart the dias before spraying the champagne around.
I’m delighted all the clubs support these players in their actions.
I think you’ll find a great many British people share my views.It’s a far more inclusive country than some rather bigoted posters on here would have you believe.
Sorry to disappoint old sport.
you’re a soft, kindly old sop underneath it all, aren’t you?
I suspect if you’d been alive in the 1940s when fascism swept across Europe you wouldn’t be so cretinous.
Although given the way Ireland capitulated to Germany over baling out the bondholders perhaps being a quisling comes naturally.
And bring second in line behind De Valera when he signed Herr Hitler’s Book of Condolences.
The shame of it ….
Could have been worse. Could have given him Czechislovakia
perhaps my cretinousness is a product of old age + shell shock from my time in the trenches
in which case, you’re being extremely unkind
Could have been worse, could be running an Empire ;)
They did not die for that, they died for nothing. It was a horrible needless waste of life.
Tá an ceart agat Nigel. Poorly educated, poorly paid and poorly lead.
cruelly exploited goes ahead of all that, surely
Poppy fascism.
Now there’s a man who doesn’t need to grow a pair. Maybe, look at your own life Ollie. Ahem.
Apt headline. EVERY year this debate crops up.
Remember folks, the plastic poppy is the emblem of the British Legion, to whom you can donate cash to fund their assistance to the war veterans, and their families, of past and current British wars. They will give you a plastic poppy in return. Critics point out that the British Legion are mopping up after wars which Britain is engaged in and therefore is a pro-war charity. Others mention that the British Legion has a smaller engagement with WW1 commemorations nowadays and most of its work is with veterans of the Iraqi and Afghanistan wars. Irish nationalists tend to refuse to don the British Legion poppy because of the association with the British Army prescence and military action in the North.
The poppy symbolised in John McCrae’s ‘In Flanders Fields’ is not to be confused with the above! It is rather a poignant piece of imagery as red poppies filled the fields of northern Belgium where so much blood had been spilled. Recommend reading this poem again, plus take a look at the work of Wilfred Owen, Francis Ledwidge (a Slane man) and the more cynical Siegfried Sassoon. They and the other WW1 poets, authors and artists really capture the mayhem and destroyed lives of 1914-1918.
If you want to honour and pay respects to the Irish soldiers who fought alongside Britain, particularly for the historic armistice anniversary this year, visit the fine National War Memorial Gardens at Islandbridge on a sunny autumn day. It’s a really peaceful spot.
Thanks Hoop.
To further dampen the argument that it commemorates all the war dead, a good point I heard mentioned was ‘so why don’t the French / Germans etc… wear one?’.
Good to see the club support his decision. If only the fans could do the same.
I was lucky enough to visit Ypres (where the Menin Gate is) and the Irish Peace Park a few years back.
Highly recommended.
Yeah, Ypres is something else isn’t it? Did both salients, notable trenches and dressing stations – a memorable experience. Bless them, the poor young lads.
FWIW the German Ambassador always lays a wreath at the Cenotaph on Rememberance Sunday and always wears a poppy.
At the most recent England v Germany soccer internationals both sides wore arm-bands bearing poppies on them.
The poppy is regarded by many people in both countries as a symbol of both reconciliation and regret at the futile loss of life.
Should a person choose not to wear one that is entirely their choice.
Funds raised play a vital role in the Royal British Legion’s efforts to look after and rehabilitate injured and retired service people from many different countries.
& many different invasions.
Let’s be honest here, it ain’t just about 1914-1918
*One soccer friendly international between England and Germany in 2017. Decision of the latter. It is not normally a symbol on German graves in Flanders, the laurel is.
*The British Legion only serves British armed services.
You may be confusing them with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission who take care of the graves, commemorations and excavations of British armed forces and their empire at the time of WW1.
Get yizzer facts right Ollie!!
*fitsbump
interesting little piece on poppy day in Dublin in 1920s/1930s
https://www.historyireland.com/20th-century-contemporary-history/poppy-day-in-dublin-in-the-20s-and-30s/
Very interesting article, thanks Brother. Today it’s more complicated, the refusal to wear one can be a pacifist act or abhorrence towards current British conflicts; or one which is simply not traditional in Ireland*, or one that is stridently republican, like the article describes. It’s becomes an issue every year because our neighbours all wear one and it’s worn at Armistice Day – which affects so many countries, including Ireland, and we don’t want to leave our lads out either, right? Yet a lot of our lads only joined the BEF for either the shilling or for Home Rule, or both. *As Spud says, the other countries who fought amongst the “poppy fields” don’t do the poppy – they honour the WW1 dead in other sombre ways. The footballer’s decision is to be respected – good on him. Likewise the (small) British Legion of Ireland, who I’ve met, are respected in their choosing to lay a poppy wreath at the War Memorial in Islandbridge. Honour them all, I say, all nations, and in whatever way fits. Horrific goddamn war it was.
“our lads” includes, two of my Dad’s Uncles; and my grandad, who was also in the IRB and the free state IRA, official state army. All Donegal men. My grandad died of TB, contracted hiding from the Brits in the Donegal hills during his IRB days… yes, complicated times they were for sure. Very complicated.
I’m sure they are remembered for their valiant duty Clamps. I don’t have any WW1 soldiers in my family; the women and men before me fought only at home for independence. Not without scars. We remember the Irish wars in July every year – no doubt you’ve been. And this is what I remind poppy-questioners every year. But it’s between Easter and Armistice, so it gets so lost in the minds of people I think. Easter kind of got hi-jacked by the Shinners and Armistice kind of got hi-jacked by the Legion.
True that.
Myself, I think the poppy should really be for the day/weekend of remembrance, and not weeks long, as it is now.
You’ve made some great points and engaged a well balanced discussion on the topic, and for that I doff me cap, fair dues!
Love you James, fair play for not taking the easy option.
except when the easy option is an early cross instead of running it over the goal line
Oh I’d love him more if he was better but we’re not exactly spoiled for choice atm
It’s the most dismal thing to watch them play these days. They actually suck the fun out of watching Ireland play.
Where is the talent?
Monkeano has the Irish team playing miserable boring football. They don’t play that way for their clubs or in the League of Ireland. We’re too small though so we’re no draw for a big name manager.
Here’s a poppy wearing Monkeano.
ITV hope to hang on to Keane in punditry rolehttp://the42.ie/1166802
Compare O’Neill’s salary to that of Southgate or Giggs and then include what Roy Keane “earns”. You’d attract 10 times better than miserable Martin with that sum.
ah no, I’m only joking – i think he’s one of the few things that burns bright in Irish football at the moment. sadly.
I honestly think the only ones that should wear the poppy are ones who want to honour the fallen
Which brings me to RTE and its cash in on the centenary with their big concert
Ireland really need to but out of these remembrances and not attend any event as hypocrisy insults those who fought and died
Maybe mc clean needs to play in the league of Ireland and avoid the indignity and hypocrisy of playing for an English club
So Ireland shouldn’t commemorate the Irish that died in the First World War? Jog on ya amadán.
Sure you have a short memory as before Ireland never honoured these war dead including outright hostility towards the men who fought in two world wars
As I remember this was always the case until suddenly because our politicians felt left out coming up to the centenary they decided to honour these men and women
I call that hypocrisy
Even our Sinn feinn candidate for president started saying about wearing the poppy until she lost or lets say peter Casey took half her votes then she reverted to the old tired line of not wearing it the official sinnbot stance
I think Bertie you do have a very short memory
Quite the opposite david which is why I’m calling you an amadán for saying we should continue to ignore the Irish that died in WWI.
By the way Bertie
My point made regarding hostility was proven in clare last night when monument to war dead vandalised
The obligatory poppy on UK television at this time of year is nauseating.
You could always change channel.
But then you’d have nothing to whine about like a kid with a smacked backside
I wear my lilly pin this time of the year. That’s because the good guys were inside the GPO.
My “Sun’s out Brits out” badge arrived in the post yesterday:)