A soccer player whose contract was terminated after he wore a shirt featuring the slogan ‘up the Ra’ has admitted that the incident was the “probably the biggest mistake” he has made.
John Herron was suspended from Larne FC in 2022 after an image circulated on social media of the Scottish athlete wearing a shirt emblazoned with the slogan ‘Ooh ah up the Ra’ as he attended a Wolfe Tones concert at Falls Park in west Belfast during Féile an Phobail.
The shirt also featured the Republican slogan ‘Tiocfaidh ár lá’, and Larne FC initially suspended the player “with immediate effect” and launched an investigation.
The incident was widely condemned by unionist politicians, and the club later confirmed his contract was terminated “by mutual agreement”.
Following a spell in Dubai and Australia, the 30-year-old has returned to the Irish League with Ballymena United.
In an interview on the club’s YouTube channel, Mr Herron spoke of his regret and said he “lost a lot of friends” as a result of his “stupid actions”.
The player said he feels Northern Ireland “is my home to be honest”, and described how the shirt incident led to the “very upsetting” departure from Larne.
“I think everyone who knows me knows I’m not that type of character,” he said.
“I made mistakes - I held my hands up and I was sorry, and I’m still sorry. It’s probably the biggest mistake I have made to this day.
“I let myself down, and my family obviously, and people who were close to me and gave me a lot of things and put me in the right direction.”
He said the people who had helped him were “more important than football”.
“I lost a lot of friends as well through silly actions, stupid actions, and as I have said, I’m really sorry for it,” he said.
“There’s a label on me...a stigma towards me. That’s fine - I’m big enough and ugly enough to accept that.”
