James McClean hits out at lack of support as he compares reaction to Wilfried Zaha and David McGoldrick's racist abuse

Both Zaha and McGoldrick were victims of sickening online racist abuse over the weekend with the Football Association of Ireland condemning the 'appalling' abuse and offering its support to Ireland forward McGoldrick.

And while McClean strongly condemns the actions of those 'vile racists', he voiced his frustrations over a lack of action and support he's been shown following nine years of 'discrimination' in relation to those who have thrown their weight behind the Black Lives Matter campaign.

The Stoke City and Ireland winger has been sent bullets in the post and his children have been subjected to vile messages online in recent months.

Last March McClean's younger brother Patrick hit out at online trolls after the Ireland international was subjected to almost 400 vile messages including some wishing his kids contracted coronavirus and died. Others claimed it would be 'a geg' if his wife and kids died in a house fire.

McClean who insists 'people need to be held responsible for their words and actions' hit out at the football authorities, the media and his Ireland teammates for not showing the same public support to him when he was the victim of such abhorrent abuse.

And the 31 year-old former Derry City winger claims he's been left with a 'sour taste' over the treatment of fellow professionals.

Posting on his Facebook account, McClean wrote: "Driving back from training today while listening to TalkSport discussing the vile racist comments this weekend made towards Zaha and McGoldrick on social media, listening to their reaction of disgust at it and rightly so for that matter because it is horrendous and nobody should be subjected to that and people need to be held responsible for their words and actions.

'What leaves a sour taste tho [sic] in my mouth and not only this but with everything else of late, I receive have received more abuse than [any] other player during my 9 years in England wether [sic] that be, death threats, bullets sent in the post, birthday cards, letters etc! This is not a cry for sympathy but one to ask the question what is the difference?

'12 year old boys get arrested for posting racial abuse online to Zaha again rightly so, has anyone ever been held accountable for mines? No!

'Have I ever had any abuse condemned by the media? (Sky Sports, TalkSport, newspapers) No! In fact quite the opposite, the slightest thing that I do that might cause offence to any one is highlighted by them.'

McClean then turned his attention to his team-mates from the Irish national team, and their lack of support for him over the course of his spell in England.

'I have seen some of my fellow Irish team mates post a black square in support of anti racism as well as post condemning the discrimination and AGAIN rightly so! Have I ever seen any of them ever post a public condemnation of the discriminated I get which funnily enough is a discrimination against them also? That would be a no!

'Does one kind of discrimination hold a higher bearing over another act of discrimination?

'I would say am confused but that’s the wrong word because confused means not fully understanding something, in this case it’s quite clear!

'“If you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything.”