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Aberdeen midfielder 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 has had to deal with sectarian abuse and worse since arriving from Derry City in 2009.
In 2011 Royal Mail intercepted a package meant for McGinn containing bullets, with packages also sent to Paddy McCourt and manager Neil Lennon.
And while the Dons 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.
“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.
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.”
