Arsenal Women fan favourite Katie McCabe, along with several other Irish footballers, reopened the conversation around the poppy this weekend after refusing to wear it. The left-back started in the Gunners' 4-1 victory over Leicester City on Sunday afternoon, which was the latter’s dedicated Remembrance fixture.
Clubs have featured poppies on players’ shirts in November since the early 2000s, with the shirts later auctioned off to support the Royal British Legion - an organisation that helps military service members, veterans, and their families. However, McCabe, the Republic of Ireland captain, was among a host of players who chose not to have a poppy on her jersey in the Women's Super League.
Brighton’s Caitlin Hayes also opted not to wear a poppy, while London City Lionesses midfielder Hayley Nolan and Crystal Palace forward Abbie Larkin, who play in the WSL 2, are understood to have taken the same stance. Although controversial to many, the possible reason behind their decision not to wear the symbol has since come to light.
Why Some Irish Players Don't Wear a Poppy During Remembrance Fixtures
Katie McCabe
It’s worth mentioning that each player who refused to wear a poppy over the weekend did take part in a minute’s silence ahead of their respective fixtures. However, as one of the Irish Sun’s image captions points out: “Some (Irish) players feel uncomfortable with it since it can be perceived as support for the British Army.”
This aligns with comments made by James McClean last year. The Wrexham midfielder has long been the target of vitriolic criticism after becoming the first player to refuse to wear a poppy. Speaking about his decision, he explained that the symbol carries an entirely different meaning for Irish people than it does for the British. While he said it doesn’t offend him personally, he believes in the right to freedom - including the right not to have the symbol forced upon him. As per the Telegraph, he said:
“The poppy, which originally stood for World War 1 and 2, has now been adopted into honouring and remembering British soldiers that have served in all conflicts throughout the world, including those who opened fire and murdered 14 innocent civilians on Bloody Sunday Jan 1972, in my home city, as well many other brutal crimes throughout Ireland.
“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.”
The meaning behind the poppy and its use in football always attracts attention around this time each year, and McCabe has come under fire from a small number of social media users who continue to raise the same old criticisms about respect and the fact that she lives and works in England.
However, everyone has the right to express their beliefs in their own way. While McCabe hasn’t publicly explained why she chose not to wear the poppy this campaign - despite having done so in previous years - it’s likely connected to the strained historical relations between Ireland and the United Kingdom, something McClean has previously tried to educate critics about without much luck.