James McClean woke to more sickening abuse today after a troll said his kids should be tied to chairs and made to watch him burn.
The message was sent to McClean’s younger brother, Patrick, who is a defender for Irish League side Glentoran and he shared it on Instagram.
The vile message read: “I’m sorry what I said about you and your brother and your brothers kids I don’t want them to burn in a house fire.
“I would much rather James go up in flames on a chair while his kids are tied opposite to him on two separate chairs forced to watch their dirty stinken fenian rebel bastard of a dea burn to the crisp, maybe that’s better them dying in a house fire.”
Republic of Ireland star McClean, 31, highlighted the message on OTB AM where he spoke about the ongoing abuse he and his family receive.
A father of three young children, McClean said: “We shouldn't be made to feel inferior or to be ashamed of being Irish.
“That message (to his brother) was from a kid and you think ‘wow’. Hate shouldn't be in you at that age. Where does a kid learn that?
"Social media and society is a dangerous place. It's just madness. That kind of hate shouldn't be in you at that age. He looks about 13 or 14."It's unacceptable.”
McClean has been subjected to a decade of anti-Irish abuse and has regularly hit out at the lack of action taken by authorities.
He feels the tide is slowly turning after receiving support from club-mates, international team-mates, the FAI, the English PFA and his club Stoke City.
Erin McClean, his wife, issued her own statement this week in which she opened up on the considerable stress she and her children are under because of the death threats.
Stoke star McClean said today: “Maybe she's just had enough. It's got to the stage where our kids are getting older, they’re starting to ask questions.
“Maybe that was the final straw for Erin. Maybe she is genuinely worried that someone might carry out these threats.”
McClean continued: “I want to make it clear, this is not a cry for sympathy. We don't want sympathy, it's not going to help.
“I've had a lot of messages recently from ex players and players still playing and just the general public saying they've been subjected to Irish abuse in the UK on a daily basis and they don't speak up.
“For me, this is not just about me, it's about them. No longer are we going to stand by and accept the Irish abuse. We should be proud to be Irish and not be abused for it.
”Things like being called a Paddy, a Fenian, a leprechaun, a pikey - it’s not acceptable and we're not going to accept it any more.
“I want those people to stand up and challenge that. We are not inferior and shouldn't be treated like we are inferior.
“It's time to stand up and be proud of who you are and not accept being seen as second class.”
And McClean added: “I think we as Irish people, men or women, have been guilty of it ourselves because we've allowed it to happen. That can't continue.
“I don't care how many doors I bang on, but I'm going to be heard. Whether people join me or not, that's up to them.
“I understand that people are for an easy life. They don't like speaking out that they get abuse but that's wrong.
“We shouldn't be made to feel inferior or to be ashamed of being Irish. I couldn't be any more proud of being Irish and I take that everywhere with me. That will never stop.”
