Ex-Wrexham Captain James McClean holds the last laugh with a provocative gesture aimed at away fans in an iconic send-off at the Racecourse.
Though the news cycle at Wrexham has moved on with Matty James’ renewal, a part of the fans remain stuck at James McClean’s exit. While they had sent their best wishes to the Irishman, parting ways without a final farewell felt unfair.
Already moving closer to the end of an era with other club heroes like Paul Mullin and Elliot Lee tipped to leave, too, missing a final glance at them is non-negotiable. To Wrexham fans’ joy, James McClean was present at the game against Leicester to bid a formal goodbye to them.
Seen on the pitch pre-kickoff, the fan-favourite leader waved to the home fans in a beautiful display. Receiving a standing ovation from the Wrexham faithful, it felt like a perfect sendoff for McClean’s legacy.
But James McClean, being the arch-provoker he is, didn’t deprive Wrexham fans of entertainment even on his farewell. Despite not participating in the matchday, he made a strong provoking gesture while walking past the Leicester fans’ stand.
Later, McClean took to Instagram as he posted a snap of the moment, quoting: “To all the away fans of the years, f*** you and good riddance.. its been a laugh”
McClean’s gesture transcended the Leicester fans
While the camera captured James McClean making a strong gesture to the immediate Leicester fans, his message was aimed at a broader group.
On personal terms, James McClean has no direct animosity towards the Foxes. Though Leicester remain one of the rare sides against whom the 36-year-old has never won in 8 faceoffs, McClean’s disciplined display hints at no grudges.
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Despite playing over 250+ minutes against Leicester, James McClean never got booked or received a card. That shifts the focus of his recent on-field actions towards away fans in general, and not just Leicester supporters.
Multiple abuse incidents directed towards James McClean
Throughout his 15 years of stay in the English division, McClean has been the subject of fans’ abuse innumerable times. His latest gesture stood just as a reply to them all as he sees off his time here.
Time and again, the most frequent abuse directed at McClean stood in response to his denial of wearing the poppy. Be it Barnsley, Lincoln City or Blackpool, multiple fanbases have been penalised for such acts against him.
Notably, such incidents just spiked during his Wrexham spell. As a Catholic Irishman, his stay at a Welsh club was never going to be easy. That just proved true when McClean suffered multiple physical confrontations apart from the online abuse.
In a tale as recent as October 2025, McClean admitted punching a Cardiff fan in his self-defence. When matters felt uncontrollable ahead of a Carabao Cup faceoff, he had to resort to physical retaliation.
That’s just one of the many accounts when McClean has been targeted for his political or social beliefs. Not to hide that his fight-back against the abuse aggravated it, but that is how he spent his entire spell in the English division.
James McClean’s farewell brings end to targeted abuse
The former Wrexham Captain’s “good riddance” message speaks volumes that he looks past his English spell already. While this abuse must have taken a toll on him, McClean’s laughable claim proves his high self-esteem character once again.
Up next, a homecoming spell awaits James McClean. Among his local fans, between his personal family and community, a very supportive audience awaits the Irish legend as he dons the Derry kit again.
While there’s time until the Premier Division kicks off, James McClean ought to look back at his 15 years in the English division and enjoy. And replay his latest gesture multiple times on how he had the last laugh against the trolls.
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