Northern Ireland

Erin McClean tells of daily abuse targeting football international husband James

James McClean called for an end to anti-Irish abuse
James McClean called for an end to anti-Irish abuse James McClean called for an end to anti-Irish abuse

THE wife of Irish soccer international James McClean has said online abuse has been part of their "daily lives this last nine years".

Erin McClean said threats and abuse targeting the Stoke City winger are a regular occurrence but most of the British media "shy away away from speaking up for him".

Earlier this month, the Derry-born player's wife revealed how he had been taunted about the shooting dead of 14 people by British soldiers on Bloody Sunday.

On Sunday, McClean also highlighted a threat sent to him on social media just days after he called for an end to "anti-Irish abuse".

The Republic of Ireland international shared on Instagram a direct message sent to his account which read: "Don't make me set your house on fire and burn everyone inside it."

It was the fourth in a string of messages from the same account, part of which read "f*** the IRA and f*** Ireland".

While the player said the earlier messages in the chain were "like water off a duck's back', he said the final threat was "crossing the line".

It came two days after the 31-year-old called for greater condemnation of "anti Irish abuse" claiming the "silence is deafening".

Last summer McClean said he had considered retirement in light of abuse he has received.

In an Instagram story, his wife also recounted the daily abuse.

She said she has previously kept quiet because she was reluctant to platform those responsible.

"There isn't a day goes by that either one of us doesn't receive a message of some sort, whether it be threat or else someone telling us to get the f*** out of England."

She told how when the couple are out shopping her husband is often abused in front of their children.

"We can take the name-calling and the rest but what we cannot accept is threatening our family home and our children's lives," she said.