WHEN THE CALL came, James McClean was always going to answer.
He had been waiting for such an opportunity, even if the circumstances were far graver than he would have ever imagined.
Earlier today, it was announced that the Stoke City winger, along with several other Irish stars that are part of former Republic of Ireland international Graham Barrett’s Integrity Sports agency, donated €25,000 towards an emergency fund to help League of Ireland clubs affected by the shutdown.
The Covid-19 pandemic forced Sligo Rovers to lay off all players, management and administration staff while the FAI are continuing discussions with the National League Executive Committee to keep the show on the road.
For McClean, just like Enda Stevens, Kevin Long, Jack Byrne and Graham Burke, the decision to contribute was an easy one.
“Definitely, I was more than happy to be able to help. The League of Ireland means a lot to me and it’s something I hold dearly,” he tells The42.
Graham (Barrett) had the idea, I was already sitting and scratching my head and discussing with Graham that I wanted to donate to charity and I was banging my head against the wall trying to come up with the best ones to donate to.
“Graham came with the idea of for the League of Ireland and helping the players and staff. Straight away it was a no brainier, really.
“For me, the same as other lads, I am fortunate to be able to help,” the former Derry City winger adds.
“The League of Ireland is not a financially rewarding league, there are no great resources behind it and it doesn’t have the TV money that there is in England. It’s the fans who pay the wages of players.
“That’s the reality, the gates go a huge way to paying the wages and I understand that.”
McClean, who is now in isolation at his home in England with his wife and three young children, says he is trying to “make the best of a bad situation.”
He accepts that he is in a fortunate position financially, that he doesn’t have the same immediate concerns as those who have lost their jobs and are worrying about keeping food on the table.
But there are other issues he and his family are dealing with just the same as everyone else. For one, his entire extended family are back in Derry and must deal with not being able to see some of those closest to him.
He has, however, seen the community spirit of his hometown shine through with news of various acts of selflessness reaching him through social media and conversations with friends.
The people are really rallying around and doing their best to be there for each other. There are stories of people minding the children of nurses and doctors who are trying to save lives.
“It shows that there can be a positive light at the end of a dark tunnel and hopefully when this is all said and done and we can hopefully return to normality in our loves, those types of goodwill gestures will continue and people will continue to be there for each other.
“It’s a good trait to have,” McClean continues. “When times are tough and people have their back against the wall, my motto always been that if I can help someone out who is less fortunate then it’s a good thing to do.
“That’s how I was raised. If I’m in a position to help someone in times of struggle it’s just the right thing to do. Maybe we have gone a little bit away from that, my generation and the one coming up after us.
“I think that spirit has been lost a bit and it’s not the case any more, that when things are bad people would always be there for each other. People now want to tear others down, it’s as if life is a competition.
“People want to see you do well but not any better than them. That’s the way it has been for my generation and the other one coming up.
“Hopefully after all this it doesn’t go back to people tearing other people down and we can continue supporting each other and backing each other up.”
And McClean is well aware that the gesture of contributing €25,000 is just a minor part of what will need to be more comprehensive plan for recovery.
It’s going to be a long road and the sad reality of the situation is that it’s not a financially secure league.
“You can play 15 seasons in the League of Ireland and with the money in it you will still need to find a job and continue to work after.
“The donation gets the ball rolling and will help some people but for how long? It’s a small gesture but it’s not going to fix the problem.
“It’s a shame the way the FAI has gone over the last few years that they’re not in a position to have a rescue package to help these clubs out. Sligo is a big club in the League of Ireland, now they’re laying off players, staff, it just shows you how sad it really is. It’s going to be a long road to recovery.”
