Poppy protest footballer James McClean has hit out at his hometown club Derry City after they tried to rip up his contract. McClean, 37, branded it ‘incomprehensible’ and a ‘dangerous precedent’ for the club to try and terminate his deal due to his physical issues. Derry attempted to bin off McClean in August – despite signing him in January on a multi-year deal – reportedly claiming he is unable to fulfil his contract’s terms because he is not fit enough to play or train. Interim manager Mark Connolly has left McClean – who refused to wear a poppy while representing English and Welsh clubs at the height of his career, out of his squad, but the former Wrexham man insists he is ready to feature when called upon in a defiant statement.’This has been one of the most difficult periods of my life, both personally and professionally,’ McClean said in a statement on the PFA Ireland website.’When I agreed to come home from Wrexham, I did so in good faith, based on commitments made to me both playing wise and regarding my future after football. I uprooted my family midway through the school year because I believed in the vision presented to me, both for the short term and the long term. James McClean has hit out at his club Derry City for trying to terminate his contract ‘I accept that some of my actions over the past few months were misjudged, and my frustrations should have remained in-house. I take responsibility for that – and I apologise. Derry City is my club, and I respect everyone who cares about it as much as I do.’I was asked to help drive standards, to speak up, and to use my experience to further professionalise my hometown club. From the start of the season, I tried to do this to the best of my ability, but I felt when I did my opinions were not well received.’While I’m happy to hold myself accountable when I am wrong and when my performances have not been to the levels I expect of myself, I cannot understand or accept that I have been treated this way over the past few months.’For any club to feel it is OK to attempt to terminate a player’s contract without any due process or just cause is incomprehensible, and it sets a dangerous precedent for every player in this league.’I was approaching 37 years old when I signed for Derry City. It is well accepted that any player of that age will have occasional injury issues. I have been open about what my body now faces, and that has not been easy to come to terms with.’But I am not permanently incapacitated, or anything even remotely close to that. I am capable of contributing and doing well in the League of Ireland. I train as hard and give as much as anyone.’I will decide when I retire. Nobody else will make that decision for me. When that time comes, my body will tell me. This is my life and my career. I deserve the same duty of care and fairness given to the majority of other players at Derry City FC. I am ready to play when called upon.’McClean signed for his hometown club at the start of the 2026 season and has two years left on his deal. The star has regularly made headlines for his refusal to take part in Remembrance Day commemorations. James McClean turned up for Derry City training despite them reportedly trying to rip up his contract Derry sit fourth out of ten teams in the League of Ireland Premier Division, a disappointing campaign after finishing runners-up in 2023 and 2025. In June, McClean 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 as 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. McClean has regularly made headlines throughout his career for his refusal to take part in Remembrance Day commemorations’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.’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 103 caps for the 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. McClean, who has won 103 caps for the Republic of Ireland since choosing to play for them rather than Northern Ireland, said he has received ‘death threats’ for his poppy stance’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?’