James McClean’s homecoming story looks to have taken a sour turn after his club informed the 37-year-old that they intended to rip up his contract due to a perceived lack of ‘physical capacity’ required to fulfil its terms.
McClean, who has regularly made headlines throughout his career for his refusal to take part in Remembrance Day commemorations, signed for his hometown club Derry City at the start of the 2026 season.
But, according to the Irish Independent, the club have told McClean they are ending his contract despite it still having two years left to run, claiming he is unable to fulfil its terms because he is not fit enough to play or train.
The report states that McClean disputes that assessment and is keen to continue playing, with the former Wrexham full back still set to report for training this week.
McClean, who has started just 12 of sixth-placed Derry City’s 27 league games this season, is expected to insist that a contract cannot be cancelled unilaterally and that an independent physician is required to determine his fitness, the report states.
It has been a turbulent few weeks for McClean, who has regularly taken to social media to criticise his side. He also posted a picture showing he was watching former side Wrexham play a Carabao Cup match at the same time Derry City were playing a home league game.
McClean, who has started just 12 of sixth-placed Derry City’s 27 league games this season, is expected to insist that a contract cannot be cancelled unilaterally
McClean has regularly made headlines throughout his career for his refusal to take part in Remembrance Day commemorations
In June, the 37-year-old hinted at his unhappiness following his return home after a 15-year spell in English football.
‘Family (are) enjoying being home – probably not so much myself, if I’m being honest,’ McClean said during a punditry appearance on RTE.
‘You know, you have a lot of conversations on the phone, and then you come home and you quickly realise that what you hear on the phone is not what you see in reality.
‘There’s a lot of factors that’s contributed to that, but we’ll leave them for another day.’
McClean has previously spoken out about his reasons for not wearing the poppy, a decision he first made while playing for Sunderland in 2012. He maintained that stance throughout his career in England, despite being regularly targeted with abuse.
‘The poppy which originally stood for World War 1 and 2 has now been adopted into honouring and remembering British soldiers that have served in all conflicts throughout the world including those who opened fire and murdered 14 innocent civilians on Bloody Sunday Jan 1972, in my home city, as well many other brutal crimes throughout Ireland,’ McClean said in 2024.
‘That is why I never have and never will wear a poppy. If the poppy’s sole purpose was to honour world war 1 and 2 then I would have no issue wearing it, but that’s not the case.
‘I respect those who do as I am fully aware we have different beliefs and upbringings, I would never force my beliefs on others, I’m not naive or stupid enough to expect the matter to be reciprocated, especially as the poppy is forced now on everyone in the UK and god forbid someone doesn’t wear it, the abuse they have to endure. The irony of all of this is that the poppy originally stood to honour those who fought for the right of freedom in both world wars.
McClean, who has won more than 100 caps for Republic of Ireland since choosing to play for them rather than Northern Ireland, said he had received ‘death threats’ for his poppy stance
‘Some people, no matter what, will not educate themselves or want to educate themselves, so to those who throw abuse about (matters they know nothing about), with insults like ‘hates our country’ – well I don’t. Some of my best relationships I’ve made through the years are with people born and raised in England and have completely different beliefs to me … One thing I never have and never will do, is bend the knee to compromise my convictions.’
McClean, who has won more than 100 caps for Republic of Ireland since choosing to play for them rather than Northern Ireland whom he represented in the Under 21s, said he had received ‘death threats’ for his stance over the poppy.
Last October, speaking during an episode of Virgin Media’s Living with Lucy, he told presenter Lucy Kennedy how his family feared he would be shot while away on international duty after he first refused to wear a poppy on his shirt in 2012.
‘I was getting death threats, people were saying I should be shot,’ he said. ‘I was getting bullets in the post, bullets sent to the club.
‘That night, I met up with Ireland. The club had received threats that basically I was going to be shot. The game was on TV. I was going to be shot, this and that. (My wife, Erin) is back up in Newcastle, she’s panicking, she’s s*****g herself. They had to put security outside my hotel room door the whole night.
‘Then, obviously, we’re playing the game, Erin’s watching the game, she’s panicking, she’s thinking, “He’s going to be shot on TV”. Thankfully, nothing happened or nothing ever has happened.’
He added: ‘I was getting death threats, people were saying he should be shot and dragged across the Cenotaph.
‘I could have easily just said, “I’ll wear a poppy,” and sold myself out and be known for my football or “I’ll not wear a poppy” and be known as that but I’ve stayed true to myself.
‘Six or seven people from the Creggan estate (where he grew up) died on Bloody Sunday that day so for me to wear a poppy in support of the people who carried out those atrocities…
‘It frustrates me how people can’t see that. How is it even a debate of why I should wear the poppy?’
