James McClean: 'Does being abused for being Irish and anti Irish abuse acceptable?'

[balaks]

Surely this is bigotry rather than racism?

 

[GDaly95]

He was brought up as an example of an Irish footballer. The abuse McClean gets was being compared to racist abuse of black players. I’m asking where the other Irish players getting abused for being Irish are.

You choose to give McClean the benefit of the doubt on his intentions there. I think there’s enough evidence on McClean to see exactly what his intentions where with that tweet. Do you think some dog from Derry doesn’t know exactly how people would react to that tweet? Was he still naive when he posted pictures of himself wearing a balaclava and talking about history lessons?

Other Irish players wear poppy's.

McClean not wearing a poppy gave racists, in their eyes, justification to abuse him. Which, just to clarify, I'm sure you agree is disgraceful?

 

[acnumber9]

Other Irish players wear poppy's.

McClean not wearing a poppy gave racists, in their eyes, justification to abuse him. Which, just to clarify, I'm sure you agree is disgraceful?

Of course. People can wear whatever they like and choose not to wear whatever they like. The point is, being Irish is being compared to being black. Who is getting abuse in English football for being Irish?

 

[GDaly95]

Of course. People can wear whatever they like and choose not to wear whatever they like. The point is, being Irish is being compared to being black. Who is getting abuse in English football for being Irish?

Agree with you there.

There's no need to make the comparison anyway. This isn't the oppression Olympics.

The point should simply be that the FA have turned a blind eye and that they should do more.

 

[Ravelation]

This is really an open and shut case;
1. Everybody has the right to peacefully hold a political viewpoint, without fear of abuse.
2. He's reaching a little bit with the whole, ''If you're a white Irishman you have a disadvantage in comparison to other races'' rhetoric, but he still has a point.

 

[Withnail]

He was brought up as an example of an Irish footballer. The abuse McClean gets was being compared to racist abuse of black players. I’m asking where the other Irish players getting abused for being Irish are.

You choose to give McClean the benefit of the doubt on his intentions there. I think there’s enough evidence on McClean to see exactly what his intentions where with that tweet. Do you think some dog from Derry doesn’t know exactly how people would react to that tweet? Was he still naive when he posted pictures of himself wearing a balaclava and talking about history lessons?

Its not like he's going round shouting 'up the ra' and to be honest he says/tweets very little that is controversial.

What have you got, two tweets in 9 years?

It is anti-irish abuse. He's seen by a certain section of society as a British subject who should know his place.

Look at the level of vitriol directed at him compared to someone like Matic.

 

[arnie_ni]

Its not like he's going round shouting 'up the ra' and to be honest he says/tweets very little that is controversial.

What have you got, two tweets in 9 years?

It is anti-irish abuse. He's seen by a certain section of society as a British subject who should know his place.

Look at the level of vitriol directed at him compared to someone like Matic.

Why is he the only one getting the abuse?

That we are aware of?

 

[acnumber9]

Its not like he's going round shouting 'up the ra' and to be honest he says/tweets very little that is controversial.

What have you got, two tweets in 9 years?

It is anti-irish abuse. He's seen by a certain section of society as a British subject who should know his place.

Look at the level of vitriol directed at him compared to someone like Matic.

Then why aren’t other Irish players being abused for being Irish? Nemanja Matic doesn’t get the same abuse because he doesn’t tweet about a terrorist organisation that murdered British people and make a show of turning away from a British flag at a football match. There isn’t more examples because he had to be banned from Twitter for doing it. Maybe he is going around shouting up the ra and maybe he isn’t. Can’t say it would be the biggest shock in the world if he was.

 

[Withnail]

Then why aren’t other Irish players being abused for being Irish? Nemanja Matic doesn’t get the same abuse because he doesn’t tweet about a terrorist organisation that murdered British people and make a show of turning away from a British flag at a football match. There isn’t more examples because he had to be banned from Twitter for doing it. Maybe he is going around shouting up the ra and maybe he isn’t. Can’t say it would be the biggest shock in the world if he was.

He tweeted about a song. He didn't pledge allegiance to any organisation and he has said he isn't anti-British.

Matic didn't get the same abuse from day 1 so I'm not sure why you are so adamant about blaming McClean for the abuse he receives.

Are you saying he deserves it?

 

[acnumber9]

He tweeted about a song. He didn't pledge allegiance to any organisation and he has said he isn't anti-British.

Matic didn't get the same abuse from day 1 so I'm not sure why you are so adamant about blaming McClean for the abuse he receives.

Are you saying he deserves it?

You and I both know why he did it. To be honest I have no interest in carrying on a debate with you if you’re so blinded to refuse to see that.

McClean stood out because he was first to do it. Matić used to wear a poppy and then stopped. When he stopped he didn’t tweet his love for songs about an organisation that killed British people, refuse to look at their flag or pose in balaclavas for history lessons. He also benefitted from it being less of a topic than it used to be.

No, I don’t think he deserves death threats etc, never have I said or intimated that he does. I do think he’s a dick with a little bigotry of his own thrown in. I also don’t think he gets abuse for being Irish or the abuse he gets is the same as the abuse black players get. I’m waiting for one example of English football fans abusing Irish players for being Irish.

 

[Stacks]

I'm talking about the abuse and threats he received for years from fans in England. It was going on as i said for years before he released any statements or antagonised anyone on Twitter. It started and continued because he's an Irish man who had the audacity to choose not to wear a poppy. And that gave the bigoted knuckle dragging element of English football fans all the justification they needed to spew vitriol (much of it anti-Irish) at the guy every chance they get. And the FA haven't helped the situation by turning a blind eye.

I can actually remember we had this same conversation on this topic before almost verbatim mate, so i don't think we'll achieve much by repeating ourselves.

But my point is this the guy is getting constant abuse, much of it anti-Irish abuse and it's been going on for years. The fact he may or may not be a twat is irrelevant, the abuse is disgraceful and its just as disgraceful that the authorities in English football don't seem too fussed in doing much about it. I just can't imagine any other scenario where a professional footballer was getting abused about his race/religion/nationality and people would react to that by saying ''oh well he's brought it upon himself because he's a twat''.

Do you see my point mate?



I've no idea if O'Shea's ever received any anti Irish abuse or not. Do you know for a fact that he hasn't?

For some reason it is culturally acceptable to attack someone based off their nationality more so than ethnic background or religion. This of course has its limits as when attacking the nationality of people of a different skin colour, it often gets lumped as racism. If French people made attacks against Italians for being Italian during World Cup final 2006, I doubt there would be an uproar. If done to Tunisians using similar language it would probably be seen as racist.

So he should shut up and take the abuse.

Get to feck with that nonsense.

Another one to add to the blocked list

Isn't better to speak with people of these views to give them a better perspective rather than block, no?

Yeah he should just know his place is what you're saying right?

I knew that post would not go down well and just could not be bothered to even say anything initially.

I've no doubt Harry Maguire gets called a slab head manc scumbag and even spat at by rival fans from the same country as he is from every week. Maybe he should come forward too to say how hurtful the whole thing is that he is being discriminated because he's from Sheffield. Imagine the abuse Harry Kane gets every week from rival fans due to his speech issues? But Kane knows its probably best not to speak about the abuse as he knows that will only multiply the abuse the following week.

Speaking up is a good thing in some situations. McClean has spoke up multiple times already. But every single footballer in England faces rival fan abuse and insults every week. It's part of the game and will never fully go away. I'm not saying it's OK at all, but you can argue that McClean has brought some of his abuse on himself.

So Kick it Out should just disband then? These were the attitudes in the old days where black players were just expected to take it on the chin. Due to penalisation, the incidents have decreased since the 70s and 80s but it took people standing up to it.

 

[spontaneus1]

I've no doubt Harry Maguire gets called a slab head manc scumbag and even spat at by rival fans from the same country as he is from every week. Maybe he should come forward too to say how hurtful the whole thing is that he is being discriminated because he's from Sheffield. Imagine the abuse Harry Kane gets every week from rival fans due to his speech issues? But Kane knows its probably best not to speak about the abuse as he knows that will only multiply the abuse the following week.

Speaking up is a good thing in some situations. McClean has spoke up multiple times already. But every single footballer in England faces rival fan abuse and insults every week. It's part of the game and will never fully go away. I'm not saying it's OK at all, but you can argue that McClean has brought some of his abuse on himself.

Sterling should shut up about the racist abuse he receives. After all Kane doesn't complain about being abused over his speech issues so why should sterling complain about racism?

 

[Withnail]

You and I both know why he did it. To be honest I have no interest in carrying on a debate with you if you’re so blinded to refuse to see that.

McClean stood out because he was first to do it. Matić used to wear a poppy and then stopped. When he stopped he didn’t tweet his love for songs about an organisation that killed British people, refuse to look at their flag or pose in balaclavas for history lessons. He also benefitted from it being less of a topic than it used to be.

No, I don’t think he deserves death threats etc, never have I said or intimated that he does. I do think he’s a dick with a little bigotry of his own thrown in. I also don’t think he gets abuse for being Irish or the abuse he gets is the same as the abuse black players get. I’m waiting for one example of English football fans abusing Irish players for being Irish.

You seem to be claiming to be a mind reader and are trying to categorise me as being blind which is quite funny.

I asked if you think he deserves it because you keep referring to things he's done in the context of a conversation around him getting death threats and abuse.

Good that you don't actually think that but that is the impression I was getting.

I don't agree with all of his opinions and wouldn't personally listen to the wolftones, but pretty much all of what you are complaining about happened after the abuse started.

The abuse has been described as sectarian, vile and discriminatory. To me, that is down to him being a Northern Irish Catholic who doesn't toe the line. If it's a stretch to call that anti-Irish then fair enough but It would seem that way to me if I was in his shoes.

To be fair to the people abusing him, they probably don't know any vile, discriminatory or sectarian chants about Serbians, funnily enough.

 

[Eire Red United]

Or try to wind people up with glorification of terrorist organisations.

Which is exactly what the poppy does...

 

[acnumber9]

Which is exactly what the poppy does...

Ok, so the best way to protest that is to glorify a different one? He’s a dick and he’s not abused for being Irish.

 

[acnumber9]

You seem to be claiming to be a mind reader and are trying to categorise me as being blind which is quite funny.

I asked if you think he deserves it because you keep referring to things he's done in the context of a conversation around him getting death threats and abuse.

Good that you don't actually think that but that is the impression I was getting.

I don't agree with all of his opinions and wouldn't personally listen to the wolftones, but pretty much all of what you are complaining about happened after the abuse started.

The abuse has been described as sectarian, vile and discriminatory. To me, that is down to him being a Northern Irish Catholic who doesn't toe the line. If it's a stretch to call that anti-Irish then fair enough but It would seem that way to me if I was in his shoes.

To be fair to the people abusing him, they probably don't know any vile, discriminatory or sectarian chants about Serbians, funnily enough.

You don’t need to be a mind reader to know that somebody who comes from that area would know the exact response tweeting about that song would be. The first time McClean got any kind of attention was when he said he wouldn’t play for Northern Ireland and any catholic who says they wouldn’t feel uncomfortable were liars. This was after he was more than happy to Play for Northern Ireland to further his career. Where were his principles then?

You don’t need to know any Serbian chants to boo somebody. I’m happy to leave it there. We don’t agree, and you can’t provide examples of other Irish players being abused for being Irish, simple as that.

 

[POF]

Then why aren’t other Irish players being abused for being Irish? Nemanja Matic doesn’t get the same abuse because he doesn’t tweet about a terrorist organisation that murdered British people and make a show of turning away from a British flag at a football match. There isn’t more examples because he had to be banned from Twitter for doing it. Maybe he is going around shouting up the ra and maybe he isn’t. Can’t say it would be the biggest shock in the world if he was.

The thing that really shocks me about this is the lack of appreciation for where he's coming from. If you were asked to wear a badge honouring the death of members of the IRA and got threatened and abused for not doing so, would you feel wronged? Then if the authorities did nothing about it, how would you react?

You may find that an outlandish comparison but it's all about perception and that would be an equivalence for him.

Rightly or wrongly McClean is from a world where atrocities were regularly carried out by the British armed forces. Where innocent people from his community were oppressed and murdered by those armed forces. Irrespective of how people feel about the British occupation of Northern Ireland, from a human standpoint, surely people can understand that?

I don't expect people to agree with his viewpoint but the inability of intelligent people to empathise with it is absolutely staggering. That is where the accusations of bigotry come from because villifying him makes no logical sense.

Or, maybe a more relevant comparison: If George Floyd's family refused to wear a badge commemorating the fallen from the Minneapolis PD and were subsequently threatened and racially abused for not doing so? What would your thoughts be on that?

You know what would probably happen there the right wing gutter press would paint him as an unprofessional, trouble making drama queen.

The knuckle draggers and sections of the media don't hate McClean simply because he doesn't wear a poppy they hate him because of why he doesn't wear one in my opinion. Him not wearing one every year forces people to remember and/or acknowledge at least one of the atrocities carried out by the British military.

This may well be the case. It's the most rational explanation I've heard.

Or that people's only real understanding of the troubles in Northern Ireland is "British are the goodies, Irish are the baddies".

 

[acnumber9]

Rightly or wrongly McClean is from a world where atrocities were regularly carried out by the British armed forces. Where innocent people from his community were oppressed and murdered by those armed forces. Irrespective of how people feel about the British occupation of Northern Ireland, from a human standpoint, surely people can understand that?

Yeah I can understand it. What I can’t understand is why he responds to that with the glorification of people who continue to do just that. Or have the IRA stopped oppressing people in their own area?

 

[Withnail]

You don’t need to be a mind reader to know that somebody who comes from that area would know the exact response tweeting about that song would be. The first time McClean got any kind of attention was when he said he wouldn’t play for Northern Ireland and any catholic who says they wouldn’t feel uncomfortable were liars. This was after he was more than happy to Play for Northern Ireland to further his career. Where were his principles then?

You don’t need to know any Serbian chants to boo somebody. I’m happy to leave it there. We don’t agree, and you can’t provide examples of other Irish players being abused for being Irish, simple as that.

Playing underage isn't the same as playing for the full team especially given the history of sectarian chanting. I would have thought sectarian chanting would make someone uncomfortable but I'm obviously wrong on that front.

I was also unaware that boo-ing could be described as vile, discriminatory or sectarian but yeah probably best to leave it there.

 

[acnumber9]

Playing underage isn't the same as playing for the full team especially given the history of sectarian chanting. I would have thought sectarian chanting would make someone uncomfortable but I'm obviously wrong on that front.

I was also unaware that boo-ing could be described as vile, discriminatory or sectarian but yeah probably best to leave it there.

He himself said he felt uncomfortable doing it and did it to further his career. I believe it says more about his own bigotry personally. What sectarian chanting happens at Northern Ireland games now?

You brought up Matić, not me. The point being made is that there are different ways to abuse people and you don’t need to know to sectarian chants to call somebody a Serbian cnut. Where are the examples of Irish players other than McClean receiving this abuse? One will do for now.

 

[Tel074]

I would imagine because Serbia and the UK don't have the history that Catholic neighbourhoods in Derry have with the UK, and the fact that Matic doesn't post videos on his Instagram of himself in balaclavas

James was getting abused long before pictures on social media

 

[stevoc]

Yes I see your point but you don’t help it by saying it’s because he’s Irish. It isn’t, which is why you don’t see the countless other Irish players in the game getting the abuse.

Are you saying he doesn't regularly get anti Irish/sectarian abuse?

I don’t know for a fact that John O’Shea’s never been abused for being Irish, just watched him play hundreds of times and never heard any reaction from the fans when he touched the ball. You’re the one who compared it to racism so it’s up to you to show how it is. Who are the other Irish players receiving abuse?

Again mate unless you are claiming McClean doesn't receive any anti-Irish abuse then what exactly is your point?

If you accept that he does then the comparison is valid.

And it wasn’t going on for years. He was banned from Twitter by Sunderland for it three months after he first refused to wear a poppy

Well if i remember correctly you said the same last time we discussed this mate, and i dug up articles that proved he was getting death threats and abuse way back in 2012 before his Twitter nonsense. If you're interested you could search for that conversation and re-read them.

 

[Withnail]

He himself said he felt uncomfortable doing it and did it to further his career. I believe it says more about his own bigotry personally. What sectarian chanting happens at Northern Ireland games now?

You brought up Matić, not me. The point being made is that there are different ways to abuse people and you don’t need to know to sectarian chants to call somebody a Serbian cnut. Where are the examples of Irish players other than McClean receiving this abuse? One will do for now.

We're going round in circles on Matic, my point was he got a small bit on twitter and doesn't seem to get chants aimed at him. You seem to be agreeing with me on that, but it's in a manner that leads me to believe that you think you're disagreeing with me.

I've already addressed the anti-Irish thing and I said 'history of sectarian chanting' given the quotes in question were from 2012.

We also said we'd leave it there.

 

[POF]

Yeah I can understand it. What I can’t understand is why he responds to that with the glorification of people who continue to do just that. Or have the IRA stopped oppressing people in their own area?

I don't think the IRA have ever oppressed anyone. Murdered yes, oppressed no.

The IRA's cause is to end the oppression that McClean and his community experience. The fact that their methods are reprehensible doesn't change that.

For people who live in fear every day, they will of course support that cause. It doesn't mean they support the IRA though or the methods they use.

 

[stevoc]

I've no doubt Harry Maguire gets called a slab head manc scumbag and even spat at by rival fans from the same country as he is from every week. Maybe he should come forward too to say how hurtful the whole thing is that he is being discriminated because he's from Sheffield. Imagine the abuse Harry Kane gets every week from rival fans due to his speech issues? But Kane knows its probably best not to speak about the abuse as he knows that will only multiply the abuse the following week.

Speaking up is a good thing in some situations. McClean has spoke up multiple times already. But every single footballer in England faces rival fan abuse and insults every week. It's part of the game and will never fully go away. I'm not saying it's OK at all, but you can argue that McClean has brought some of his abuse on himself.

I think you've solved the abuse problem in football mate. All these players should just know their place and ignore racist/religious/sectarian abuse and get on with it like good little lads.

 

[acnumber9]

Are you saying he doesn't regularly get anti Irish/sectarian abuse?



Again mate unless you are claiming McClean doesn't receive any anti-Irish abuse then what exactly is your point?

If you accept that he does then the comparison is valid.



Well if i remember correctly you said the same last time we discussed this mate, and i dug up articles that proved he was getting death threats and abuse way back in 2012 before his Twitter nonsense. If you're interested you could search for that conversation and re-read them.

I’m saying the reason he is abused is not because he is Irish. If it was he would be one in a long line of Irish people getting it just for being Irish. Who are these players? One other example will do.

From English football fans? Or were they Northern Ireland fans? Because I’ve already said he got abuse in Northern Ireland for some of the reasons already mentioned.

 

[acnumber9]

I don't think the IRA have ever oppressed anyone. Murdered yes, oppressed no.

The IRA's cause is to end the oppression that McClean and his community experience. The fact that their methods are reprehensible doesn't change that.

For people who live in fear every day, they will of course support that cause. It doesn't mean they support the IRA though or the methods they use.

Then you need to spend some time talking to people or reading up a little.

 

[stevoc]

Then why aren’t other Irish players being abused for being Irish? Nemanja Matic doesn’t get the same abuse because he doesn’t tweet about a terrorist organisation that murdered British people and make a show of turning away from a British flag at a football match. There isn’t more examples because he had to be banned from Twitter for doing it. Maybe he is going around shouting up the ra and maybe he isn’t. Can’t say it would be the biggest shock in the world if he was.

What was this tweet?

 

[POF]

Then you need to spend some time talking to people or reading up a little.

About what?

If you mean the "oppression" comment, maybe you need to learn what the word means.

 

[acnumber9]

What was this tweet?

You know what I’m referring to. His favourite songs and his little history lessons. Do you think you do your argument good by pretending they aren’t? They aren’t even subtle.

 

[acnumber9]

About what?

If you mean the "oppression" comment, maybe you need to learn what the word means.

I know what the word means. I’m not sure you do. They don’t perpetrate unjust treatment or exercise of authority? Tell that to the many victims of punishment beatings and murders. I’ll help you out with the reading. https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www....lence-of-punishment-attacks-1.285012?mode=amp

 

[stevoc]

I’m saying the reason he is abused is not because he is Irish. If it was he would be one in a long line of Irish people getting it just for being Irish. Who are these players? One other example will do.

From English football fans? Or were they Northern Ireland fans? Because I’ve already said he got abuse in Northern Ireland for some of the reasons already mentioned.

Come on mate what world are you living in. We can and have debated back and forward as to why the abuse started or continues.

But i'll ask again are you seriously claiming he hasn't in the past and doesn't continue to receive anti-Irish/sectarian abuse?

Yes or no, stop deflecting. If your answer is no then your opinion on these matters can't be taken seriously.

 

[POF]

I know what the word means. I’m not sure you do. They don’t perpetrate unjust treatment or exercise of authority? Tell that to the many victims of punishment beatings and murders. I’ll help you out with the reading. https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.irishtimes.com/news/paramilitaries-step-up-violence-of-punishment-attacks-1.285012?mode=amp

What authority does a rebel paramiliatary organisaton have?

 

[stevoc]

You know what I’m referring to. His favourite songs and his little history lessons. Do you think you do your argument good by pretending they aren’t? They aren’t even subtle.

The Broad Black Brimmer?

feck sake mate, do you even know what that song is about?

I like some old rebel songs, so do most of my friends and family members some of whom were born and raised in England.

Does liking an old rebel song make someone a supporter of the Provisional IRA?

 

[acnumber9]

Come on mate what world are you living in. We can and have debate back and forward as to why the abuse started or continues.

But i'll ask again are you seriously claiming he hasn't in the past and doesn't continue to receive anti-Irish/sectarian abuse?

Yes or no, stop deflecting. If your answer is no then your opinion on these matters can't be taken seriously.

Has he received anti Irish abuse? Yes. Is it because he’s Irish? I don’t think so or you would be able to give me examples of it happening to other Irish players in England. I’m not deflecting anything. You are the one that won’t answer my questions. I’ve said why I believe he gets the abuse he does. Calling him an Irish cnut or something similar is just a descriptor. If there was so much hatred for people just for being Irish then why can’t you give me one other example? I’ve said numerous times he is singled out because of the poppy thing, wrongly, and then he continues to make a dick of himself which then increases the focus on him again. It is not because he is Irish.

 

[stevoc]

Or that people's only real understanding of the troubles in Northern Ireland is "British are the goodies, Irish are the baddies".

Yeah thats seems to be a lot of British peoples perception of it, understandably of course.

As we've seen just over the last few pages people justify the abuse McClean gets because of some of the stuff he comes out with. The worst example being him saying his favourite song was an Irish rebel song, The Broad Black Brimmer. This is a song about the old IRA from the 1920's and the Irish civil war. Yet people hear IRA and think he's a supporter of terrorism.

 

[Tel074]

Its not like he's going round shouting 'up the ra' and to be honest he says/tweets very little that is controversial.

What have you got, two tweets in 9 years?

It is anti-irish abuse. He's seen by a certain section of society as a British subject who should know his place.

Look at the level of vitriol directed at him compared to someone like Matic.

Yeah not like "English man " Declan Rice who was on social media saying up the Ra .

 

[acnumber9]

The Broad Black Brimmer?

feck sake mate, do you even know what that song is about?

I like some old rebel songs, so do most of my friends and family members some of whom were born and raised in England.

Does liking an old rebel song make someone a supporter of the Provisional IRA?

Yes I know what the song is about. Are you seriously going to pretend that it doesn’t provoke a response from people. It doesn’t matter what a song is about, it is more what it is associated with. For a very mild example, You’ll Never Walk Alone is from an American musical, but it’s synonymous with something else which makes it not very popular with United fans. McClean knows exactly what he is doing and it’s insulting to people’s intelligence to pretend otherwise.

What is his excuse for wearing a balaclava and giving his kids ‘history’ lessons? Oh wait, it was just a hilarious joke wasn’t it?

 

[acnumber9]

What authority does a rebel paramiliatary organisaton have?

Jesus Christ. Do you live in Northern Ireland? I’ve seen some shite talked in my time but paramilitaries not oppressing people and having no authority is the biggest load of it I’ve seen in some time.

 

[Tel074]

You and I both know why he did it. To be honest I have no interest in carrying on a debate with you if you’re so blinded to refuse to see that.

McClean stood out because he was first to do it. Matić used to wear a poppy and then stopped. When he stopped he didn’t tweet his love for songs about an organisation that killed British people, refuse to look at their flag or pose in balaclavas for history lessons. He also benefitted from it being less of a topic than it used to be.

No, I don’t think he deserves death threats etc, never have I said or intimated that he does. I do think he’s a dick with a little bigotry of his own thrown in. I also don’t think he gets abuse for being Irish or the abuse he gets is the same as the abuse black players get. I’m waiting for one example of English football fans abusing Irish players for being Irish.

Have you ever been to a football game in England ? I've been at many a game where I have heard groups shouting abuse at Irish players . Just like black players being abused for the colour of their skin . I never hear someone shout you Welsh or Italian so and so but I've heard numerous Anti Irish things over the years attending football games in England and especially in London and at Chelsea.