James McClean has branded the town of Shrewsbury a “cesspit full of inbreds” after being subjected to abuse by the club’s fans.

The Wrexham winger, who has been frequently targeted by opposition fans throughout his career for his anti-poppy stance, was taunted by the Shrewsbury Town supporters throughout their 2-1 win over his side on Thursday night.

There were claims the Republic of Ireland forward had objects thrown at him during the cross-border derby and the crowd cheered when he was on the receiving end of a crunching tackle from Shrewsbury player Toto Nsiala.

Venting his frustration on the pitch by entering a heated shouting match with Nsiala after the challenge, McClean then confronted the crowd after the match before security intervened.

A post which then appeared on the 35-year-old’s social media account said: “In fairness if I was born and raised in Shrewsbury I’d probably be this angry as well cause it’s an absolute cesspit full of inbreds.”

Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson said after the game: “He’s fine. James is used to it wherever he goes. Fans get on his back home and away and sometimes it can be tough and spill over but he is used to it.”

McClean has developed a reputation for being one of football’s biggest antagonists for his refusal to wear a poppy on Remembrance Day because of the British Army’s actions in his hometown Londonderry, the birthplace of many of the 14 people killed in the 1972 Bloody Sunday massacre.

After receiving criticism in November for refusing to stand alongside his team-mates during a one-minute silence, he said: “The poppy represents for me an entirely different meaning to what it does for others. Am I offended by someone wearing a poppy? No absolutely not. What does offend me though, is having the poppy try be [sic] forced upon me.”