The English Football League have reportedly given special permission to Wrexham star James McClean, allowing him to break rules to get away from fan abuse.
McClean, 35, has spent the majority of his career in English football having played for the likes of Sunderland, Wigan and West Bromwich Albion before joining Welsh side Wrexham in 2023.
As reported by The Daily Mail, a letter from the EFL has given McClean permission to leave the pitch via the shortest route to the tunnel.
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Since the 19/20 season, players who are being substituted have to leave the pitch via the nearest touchline or goal line in a bid to speed up the match and cut down time wasting.
However, McClean will now be exempt from this. The special permission was granted due to the amount of abuse the 35-year-old has received from rival fans.
It read: "You will be aware that James McClean is often on the receiving end of abuse from some sections of support.
"This has, in the past, resulted in FA sanctions against the Club due to the chanting becoming racially, or religiously motivated and therefore, classed as a hate crime. Missiles have also been thrown."
The letter continued: "It has now been agreed that on occasions in the future when Mr McClean has to leave the field of play, for whatever reason, he will leave by the shortest route towards the tunnel. This process will help to reduce these incidents and also help to manage Mr McClean's departure from the pitch without incident."
Recently, the Wrexham captain explained his decision not to wear a poppy on his shirt.
The Irishman sadi: "he poppy represents for me an entire different meaning to what it does for others, am I offended by someone wearing a poppy? No absolutely not, what does offend me tho (sic), is having the poppy try be forced upon me.
"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."
Topics: Wrexham, Football, League One
Marcus Chan