Mr McClean, a native of the city, returned home last month to play for boyhood club Derry City following a 15-year spell playing in England and Wales at clubs such as Sunderland, Wigan and most recently Wrexham.
He also earned 103 caps for the national team where he represented his country in two European Championships.
James McClean in action for Ireland at he Aviva Stadium. Hhoto: @macajw/Instagram
James McClean returned to boyhood club Derry City last month after 15 years playing in the UK. Photo: @macajw/Instagram
Today’s News in 90 – Monday February 2
Last Friday his wife, Erin, took to social media to share details of the family’s narrow escape from disaster when an accidental fire erupted within, the Irish Mirror reports.
“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.”
James joined up with the Candystripes two weeks ago, declaring “it’s home time” in a post to his social media.
“This club means everything to me and I will give everything off me to try and help this club achevee success,” he said.
Wife Erin embraced the move back home to what is also her native town, posting: “You all know how much home means to me.”
“15 years since the last time he donned the candy stripes and today watching you pull that jersey back on was something so special,” she wrote on Instagram.
“His beloved DCFC, never missed a game on a Friday night on his laptop.
“He’s achieved so so much, playing in the premier league, over 700 career appearances, 103 caps for his country, six club moves, lots of house moves, one wedding (thank god ), four amazing babies, meeting the most amazing people, and meeting the not so amazing a**ewipes along the way.”
McClean has spent much of his career in England under the shadow of controversy. He publicly refused to wear the poppy symbol on his jersey every November in memory of fallen British soldiers in both world wars, a common custom among clubs playing in the UK.
He received numerous death threatsas a result.
In a letter to Wigan Athletic owner Dave Whelan in 2014, James wrote: “I have complete respect for those who fought and died in both World Wars – many I know were Irish-born.”
He added: “For people from the North of Ireland such as myself, and specifically those in Derry. scene of the 1972 Bloody Sunday massacre, the poppy has come to mean something very different.”