Controversial Wrexham star now major doubt for Birmingham City clash after incident

Wrexham captain McClean is a doubt to face Birmingham at The Racecourse on Thursday night after crashing his car on the way to Wednesday morning’s training session. McClean is fine but he’s undergoing necessary checks to ensure he hasn’t sustained any injuries.

Local reports - as cited by the BBC - claim the 103-time former Republic of Ireland international was involved in a single-car incident. Wrexham have since verified the information but didn’t name the individual involved.

A statement from the League One club read: "Wrexham AFC can confirm that a first-team player has been involved in a car accident this morning on his way to training. The player reported to the club this morning and will undergo further medical checks as a precaution."

North Wales Police confirmed in a statement that they had received a report of road traffic collision on the A534 in Wrexham, near to Wrexham Golf Club shortly before nine o’clock on Wednesday morning.

The statement added: "Officers and colleagues from the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service attended the incident, which had blocked the road until the vehicle was recovered shortly before 10am.

"No serious injuries were reported from the scene. It was a single car accident with no other vehicles involved and the relevant local authorities were quickly present at the scene.”

James McClean’s heated moment with Birmingham City supporters

Often a very passionate figure who wears his heart on his sleeve, McClean was jeered by Birmingham fans after the Wrexham captain made rude gestures to the home crowd at St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park in September. The midfielder had been involved in a melee involving Blues defender Krystian Bielik just a few minutes earlier.

A controversial figure off the field, McClean has repeatedly refused to wear a poppy on his shirt around Remembrance Day each year and he hasn’t partaken in any ‘taking the knee’ gestures.

McClean's stance stems from Bloody Sunday, where British soldiers opened fire on civil rights protestors in Derry, Ireland in January 1972. Fourteen people were killed that day.

Taking to Instagram in 2020, McClean explained: “The 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 though, is having the poppy try be forced upon me."

Later on in the same post, McClean added: "Some of my best relationships I’ve made through the years are with people born and raised in England and have completely different beliefs to me.

"One thing I never have and never will do, is bend the knee to compromise my convictions."