

With the remembrance of those who died in order that we may be free,īut how many of us are aware of the reason of how and why the poppyīecame the symbol of remembrance and an integral part of the work of

Throughout the world the poppy is associated McClean has said on previous occasions that while he does not expect everyone to understand his decision, he has asked for them to merely respect it – but has been the subject of boos from opposition clubs as well as fans of his own team.You are here: British Culture > Remembrance Day > Why the Poppy Reaction towards players has been mixed – some respectful and some hostile. We respect his decision and his right to follow his own convictions.” What has the reaction been towards players who refuse to wear a poppy? "James has informed us that he will not be wearing a Remembrance Day Poppy in our next two games.
#Uk remembrance poppy free
“However, we recognise that the Poppy means different things to different individuals and communities and (like the Royal British Legion) do not believe that anybody should be forced or even pressured to wear the Poppy against their free will. "The club is proud of its close connections with the Armed Forces and have also invited members of the Armed Forces to join our remembrance at the Middlesbrough fixture. Stoke had said they respected McClean's decision not to wear one, and said in the same statement: "As a Club we will be supporting the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal by wearing the Poppy on our home shirt in the fixture against Middlesbrough on November 3 and on our away shirt in the fixture against Nottingham Forest on November 10. “I accept that but I would ask people to be respectful of the choice I have made, just as I’m respectful of people who do choose to wear a poppy." He stated: “I know many people won’t agree with my decision or even attempt to gain an understanding of why I don’t wear a poppy. He has refused to wear the poppy during his time playing in England, and abstained from wearing the poppy in previous games against Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest. McClean has decided against wearing the poppy due to the fact that the symbol represents and pays tribute to military personnel who have perished in the war – and not only soldiers who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars. Republic of Ireland footballer James McClean was born and raised in the city of Derry in Northern Ireland and was brought up on Creggan estate, where six of the people killed on Bloody Sunday in 1972 came from.īloody Sunday was one of the most historically significant events of The Troubles conflict in the country, when British soldiers shot 28 unarmed civilians during a peaceful protest march. Why do some footballers choose not to wear a poppy?Ĭertain footballers choose not to wear poppies due to their national allegiances. The special shirts are then auctioned as part of the annual Poppy Appeal organised by The Royal British Legion. The red flower of the poppy was specifically selected as a reference to the battlefields where the red flowers grew in abundance. Since 2012, each Premier League club have had poppies sewn into their shirts during the month of November in the lead-up to Remembrance Day (November 11). In the aftermath following the First World War, the poppy flower became a unifying symbol of remembrance and commemoration of the soldiers who gave up their lives and filled the war zones of Northern Europe while representing their country between 19.
