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Niall McGinn has spoken out about the abuse he has received at the hands of a minority of Scottish football fans.
The former Celtic man and Co Tyrone native has had to deal with sectarian abuse and worse since arriving from Derry City in 2009, reports The Daily Record.
In 2011 Royal Mail intercepted a package meant for McGinn containing bullets, with packages also sent to Paddy McCourt and manager Neil Lennon.
Speaking about that incident, McGinn recalled: “Looking back to my time at Celtic myself, Neil Lennon and Paddy McCourt had bullets sent to us in the post.
“The last thing I wanted was my mum opening up the newspaper on a Sunday morning and seeing her son was being threatened by bullets.
“It’s not nice to hear or say, but it sort of comes with the job. It does seem the norm that you’re sort of entitled to get abuse, and that shouldn’t be the case.”
(Image: PA)
And while the Aberdeen star doesn’t have to deal with anything like that level of abuse these days, he insists the spectre of sectarianism has not gone away.
He told BBC Ulster: “Even now at Aberdeen, it’s not like Celtic and Rangers and that greater rivalry, but when I go to places like Tynecastle at Hearts, you’re getting called names or getting abuse when you’re on the sidelines warming up.
“It’s just abuse all the time. Yes, don’t get me wrong, it’s a small minority, but you’re getting called a f**ian whatever and it is hard to take at times.
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“You have different songs sung at different games regarding the Hunger Strikers and that can be quite hurtful. Although I was young and didn’t experience too much of that growing up, different things like that are always hard to hear and take under your wing.
“You just have to try tomanage it and keep moving forward.”
McGinn has been capped 60 times by Northern Ireland, and has at times faced abuse from his own supporters – especially after admitting to supporting the Republic in 2011.
(Image: ©INPHO/Presseye/William Cherry)
However, he insists the positive comments far outweigh the negatives.
“It’s only been a very, very small minority,” he said.
“Maybe the younger generation or older generation who are 100 per cent conservative on their side of the politics.
“I’ve been very, very lucky. I can’t speak about too many situations. I’ve always given 100 per cent, had a brilliant international career and haven’t looked back.”
