James McClean notably refrained from wearing a black armband during Wrexham's triumph over Mansfield Town in the League One fixture on Saturday.
While players formed up around the centre circle, the Derry-born footballer stood distinctly aside from his teammates, who were mostly adorned with black armbands, apart from McClean himself.
The winger has openly discussed his choice to avoid the symbol in the past, and has not taken part in Remembrance commemorations since he moved to England to play for Sunderland in 2011.
Read more: James McClean's Wrexham teammate drops him in it with his wife
McClean hails from the Creggan estate in Derry, the same area that witnessed the tragic deaths of several individuals in the 1972 Bloody Sunday incident.
His actions gain particular attention as he led his team during a period when players across the majority of football league matches sport poppies on their attire. In this visual debate, it was also noticed that Tom O'Connor and goal scorer Ryan Barnett did not don the poppy.
In a previous conversation with Sky Sports, McClean expressed his thoughts: "Yeah, look, maybe I was a bit naive in thinking you know, with me being the one that took the stand first, it'll pave the way for young Irish lads coming through and it doesn't seem to be the case," reports the Irish Mirror.
"I speak to a lot of people and I've had players say that they don't believe in wearing the poppy and they wouldn't wear it, but they just don't want the hassle. The perception and reality are two completely different things."
Highlighting the judgment he's faced, he said: "The people that judge me don't know me. Never spent time with me. You have two sides. You have someone with one set of values and someone with other values. I'm just asking for respect."
"I wouldn't say: "Oh, look at him wearing a poppy. " It doesn't bother me that people have their views. I understand that people have different values from me and different beliefs. I respect that. Just because I don't fall in line, that doesn't mean I disrespect or I hate you."
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