James McClean's Dream of Peaceful Return Shattered by Dramatic Events
Former Wrexham AFC star James McClean has experienced a turbulent and dramatic start to his life back at Derry City, completely shattering his family's hopes for a quiet and peaceful existence following their departure from England. The veteran footballer's return to his hometown has been marked by a frightening domestic incident, on-pitch controversy, and very public social media feuds.
Family Home Fire Adds to Emotional Strain
The 36-year-old Republic of Ireland international is currently readjusting to life in Derry alongside his wife, Erin, and their four children. Their transition faced an immediate setback last Friday when a frightening fire broke out at their new residence in the city. Emergency services believe a faulty boiler triggered the blaze, though crews managed to bring it under control swiftly.
Recounting the traumatic experience on social media, Erin McClean posted: "What a day! Our boiler in our new house caught fire, and we are so lucky it wasn't worse. Thank God for the fire brigade for arriving so quickly and making sure it was safe to return. Very thankful. When it rains, it pours."
Erin had previously admitted that the most difficult aspect of leaving England was watching her children bid emotional farewells to their football friends. She revealed details of the family's relocation to her Instagram followers, highlighting the challenges of uprooting after her husband's 15-year career in English football.
On-Pitch Drama and Social Media Feuds
McClean's return to Irish football last Saturday evening proved equally dramatic from a sporting perspective. He featured prominently for Derry City in their Presidents Cup triumph against Shamrock Rovers, providing the crucial assist for Darragh Markey's match-winning goal as the Candystripes claimed a 1-0 victory.
After setting up the decisive goal, McClean made a beeline for the Shamrock Rovers supporters to celebrate provocatively. Having endured sustained verbal abuse from the crowd throughout the game, he showed no hesitation in returning the gesture to the Hoops faithful stationed behind the goal.
The midfielder later took to social media to call out the Shamrock Rovers fans directly, alleging they had branded him an "orange b*****d" during his comeback match. In an Instagram story, he posted: "Getting called an 'orange b*****d' from your fellow countrymen... stay classy."
Journalist Confrontation and Historical Grievances
The drama continued post-match as reports surfaced on social media suggesting McClean had snubbed the press room following the final whistle. Taking to Instagram once more, he set the record straight with remarkable candour, revealing he'd objected specifically to one journalist being present.
He explained: "Let's clear this up, because people love posting news without the facts behind it. I refused to do press while Paul Rowan was in the room. I had a few choice words understandably so towards him."
McClean then detailed the historical context behind his animosity: "Back story, after the Austria game in 2017 at the Aviva, he went out of his way and wrote to UEFA and FIFA to try and get myself and Martin O'Neill banned for post-match comments. The man in my book is a slimy touting cowardly weasel for doing that. End of."
Hopes for Peace Contrast with Reality
Last month, McClean's wife had expressed a "huge sense of relief" about moving back to Derry, hoping to escape the controversy that has followed her husband throughout his career, largely stemming from his decision not to wear a poppy during remembrance periods.
At the time, she explained: "Now, we're getting to go home and settle and hopefully we lose that negative side of things and life gets a bit more settled and easier."
However, the early indications strongly suggest that McClean's final chapter in Irish football will be equally eventful as his previous career stages. From domestic emergencies to sporting controversies and very public disputes, the veteran footballer's return to Derry has been anything but the peaceful retirement he and his family had envisioned.
