Irish Wrexham star James McClean calls a fan a ‘smelly, fat gammon’ after he was abused by supporters who threw a cup of Bovril at him in fury at showing off his ‘Free Derry’ tattoo

Controversial Wrexham star James McClean labelled a Birmingham City fan as a ‘smelly fat gammon’ after the defender caught a cup of Bovril that had been thrown at him during Monday’s fiercely contested League One clash.

The 35-year-old also referenced a notorious saying in another Instagram post focused on the match that was previously made by IRA fighter Bobby Sands who died while on hunger strike at HM Prison Maze.

The Republic of Ireland international is a divisive figure in professional football having previously issued calls for a united Ireland, refuses to wear a poppy as is tradition in fixtures throughout November and once posed IRA-style in a balaclava in front of his children for a ‘school history lesson’.

A previous incident also saw McClean salute Wrexham fans who sung ‘he hates the f***ing King’ just weeks after Prince William had been presented with a shirt at the club’s stadium.

Meanwhile, celebrity A-listers descended on St Andrew’s  for Monday’s clash as Birmingham co-owner and NFL legend Tom Brady was joined by David Beckham for the English football third-tier match.

McClean caught a drink that had been launched at him by Birmingham fans in the stands

The hosts eventually managed a stunning comeback as goals from record-signing Jay Stansfield turned the game on its head, with Birmingham sealing a memorable 3-1 victory. 

Londonderry-born McClean has a track record of winding up opposition supporters and was met with a rebuttal of jeers as he left the pitch with less than 10 minutes remaining.

Despite trailing in the match, McClean attempted to wind up rival fans by gesturing towards them while he walked around the edge of the playing surface after being substituted. 

One angry punter then decided to throw a cup of Bovril at McClean and was left reeling when the defender showed his reactions by catching the cup with one hand while walking behind the goal.

The former Premier League star then pretended to take a sip before casting the drink aside and continuing to trudge back to the dugout while engaging with opposition supporters.

He later hit out at the Birmingham fan in a social media post reflecting on the incident, stating: ‘In fairness to this fat smelly gammon, he probs didn’t have the energy or mobility to step over the hoarding’. 

McClean also shared another post on Instagram citing the quote by IRA fighter, Sands, stating: ‘They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal that can break the spirit of an Irishman who doesn’t want to be broken.’

He also added: ‘Ps fair play to the one old steward that held them all back from getting over the 2ft advertising hoarding.’ 

McClean later responded to the incident with a strongly worded social media post

McClean shared an infamous saying by a former IRA fighter in another post on his Instagram

It is believed that the drink was thrown at McClean after he tried to irk rival fans by slapping his thigh to reveal a ‘Free Derry’ tattoo in relation to his birthplace in Northern Ireland.

The tattoo references the area which was a self-declared autonomous Irish nationalist area of the city during the Troubles that plagued the country.

McClean previously revealed he doesn’t wear the poppy because of the historic incident in Londonderry which saw British Soldiers shoot dead 26 unarmed civilians and is referred to as Bloody Sunday.

Last September, McClean admitted regrets about posting a controversial picture of himself in lockdown ‘jokingly’ home schooling his children in a balaclava, which was interpreted as a reference to the IRA 

McClean pretended to take a sip of the drink before throwing it off the pitch while being substituted

McClean further tried to irk rival fans by slapping his thigh to reveal his ‘Free Derry’ tattoo

McClean was also the only Wrexham player to be booked during the defeat that keeps them top of the table on goal difference. 

Meanwhile, it was a celebrity rollcall in the Midlands as Brady and Beckham were also joined by Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney in the stands.

Serial Super Bowl champion, Brady, is attempting to embed himself in English football after investing in Birmingham and was taunted with an X-rated chant by Wrexham fans throughout the game.

Brady acknowledged the Wrexham supporters by pointing at them once he heard the chant and was in good spirits throughout the encounter as Birmingham moved level with Monday’s opponents at the top of the table.