Wrexham stars Paul Mullin and James McClean make sick jibe at cancer-stricken ... trends now
Wrexham stars Paul Mullin and James McClean have made a sick jibe about cancer-stricken King Charles as they party with their club's owner in Las Vegas.
The footballers, who saw their team promoted to League One last month, posed for a photo which Mullin then posted on Instagram with the caption 'And we hate the f***ing King!'
This was then re-posted by Irish winger McClean, who added the words 'We serve no king or kaiser but Ireland! Sue me'. Both photos have since been deleted.
The comment, made as His Majesty battles cancer, comes just weeks after Prince William visited the club's Racecourse ground - with Charles himself meeting its owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in 2022.
The pair are currently in Las Vegas with McElhenney and their teammates as they celebrate their promotion, although the remarks will bring fresh eyes to a duo who have a history of controversial remarks.
Mullin, 29, who has become popular among fans of Disney docu-series 'Welcome to Wrexham', previously landed himself in hot water after leading fans in chanting 'f*** the Tories' in a McDonald's after the club's promotion from non-league. He has also had his boots embroided with the same words.
McClean, 35, has a long and well-publicised dislike of the monarchy, having turned his back on the English national anthem while playing for the Republic of Ireland and refusing to wear a poppy during games played across Remembrance weekend.
Wrexham's Paul Mullin posted an image of himself with his Irish teammate James McClean with the caption 'and we hate the f***ing king!'
This was then re-posted by McClean, who added he caption 'we serve no king or kaiser but Ireland! Sue me'
Their club's owners, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, met King Charles and Queen Camilla during a visit to Wrexham in December 2022
The jibe was made weeks after Prince William visited Wrexham and paid tribute to the work done in getting the club back into the Football League
The comments made in on the Instagram appear to have been a reference to an anti-monarchy chant which McClean admitted to singing after his side secured promotion last month.
A video emerged of McClean being serenaded by supporters by a song which features the line 'he hates the f***ing King', referencing his Republican stance. McClean himself joined in and appeared to be urging the crowd on.
Sharing a screenshot of Mail Sport's story on social media, McClean commented: 'Is this correct? Absolutely and I also sang at the top of my lungs.'
He added: 'Do I make any apologies for doing so? Absolutely not.'
Wrexham declined to comment when contacted by Mail Sport.
It came just a few weeks after Prince William visited Wrexham's Racecourse Ground to meet staff and players and hear about the club's staggering rise into the EFL.
The Prince of Wales also poured a pint and downed a whisky with McElhenney at The Turf pub next to Wrexham's ground.
Speaking at Wrexham, William said: 'It's a great success story you're building here, everything you've started and achieved it's fantastic, so onwards and upwards - it's exciting.
'And anyone who's a true football fan wants to see you do well.'
King Charles met the Hollywood duo on his own visit to Wrexham in December 2022, while Prince William met McElhenney, manager Phil Parkinson, plus players Ben Tozer and Luke Young on St David's Day last month.
King Charles pictured with Ryan Reynolds during a visit to Wrexham AFC's stadium the Racecourse in December 2022
Controversial Irish star McClean saluted Wrexham fans singing an anti-King chant last month
McClean doubled down in an Instagram post, saying he 'sang along at the top of my lungs'
However, that visit did not go down well with Mullin, who is Wrexham's star striker having scored 88 goals in 122 games for the club and hails from Merseyside.
Writing in his autobiography, 'My Wrexham Story', Mullin complained how the King's visit to the club had disrupted preparations ahead of a big game.
He then wrote: 'I'll be straight: This visit might have been billed as a historic day for Wrexham, but it wasn't for me. I've no interest in royalty.
'I don't see why anyone should have the God-given right to be born into such wealth, and then for us to pay for them as well. It just comes down to basic fairness.'
Mullin has made his political allegiances clear in the past, with the Sefton-born striker leading an X-rated chant about the Conservative Party after Wrexham's promotion to League Two last year.
A video clip emerged of Mullin in a McDonald's in Wrexham along with some of his team-mates singing 'F***' the Tories'.
Earlier in the season he shared photos earlier this season with made-to-order boots that had the same message stitched onto them.
The pictures were taken at Wrexham's stadium, The Racecourse Ground, leaving the club unhappy, and they acted swiftly by ordering Mullin to delete them and retake them at a plain setting.
