Declan Rice apologises for old pro-IRA comment made on social media

After recently switching allegiances from the Republic of Ireland to England, now-deleted social media posts have emerged of the midfielder saying 'up the Ra'

Declan Rice has issued an apology for a pro-IRA comment made on social media three-and-a-half years ago.

After recently switching allegiances from the Republic of Ireland to England, now-deleted social media posts have emerged of the midfielder saying “up the Ra” in 2015.

In reply to a post from Manchester City U23 defender and Ireland youth international Tyreke Wilson, Rice wrote on Instagram: “UP THE RA – Wait til we draw England.”

Addressing the comments on Thursday, Rice apologised for the “poorly-expressed” remark.

“I am aware that a poorly-expressed comment I made when I was a junior player has been circulated on social media,” he said.

“I recognised now that my attempts to show support for my teammates at the time could be negatively interpreted.

“While my naive words were not meant to be a political opinion and do not represent who I am, I sincerely apologise for any offence caused.”

A Football Association spokesman said: “We are aware of the matter and will be writing to him to remind him of his responsibilities.”

Manager Gareth Southgate also addressed the comments in his Thursday press conference, saying: "He's apologised. It's not representative of what he believes and feels and his views. Outside of that, the obvious point is when he was 15, 16 when engaged in a conversation with friends... I don't think he can do or say any more than he's said."

The 20-year-old could make his senior debut for England against Czech Republic on Friday night, after being called up by Southgate for this month’s Euro 2020 qualifiers.

Rice last month declared his intention to play for England, despite earning three senior caps for the Irish – all of which came in international friendlies and therefore not binding.

Speaking earlier this week, Rice, whose grandparents hailed from Cork, stressed he was now looking forward to his future with England.

“It was a really tough decision,” he said. “I think everyone knows my situation with the Republic of Ireland. I’ve played there in the youth setup, but I had to make a decision that was best for me.

“As you can hear, I am English.

“It was really good playing for Ireland. Now I’m just really looking forward to the future and pulling on the England shirt.

“I’ve just got to look forward and forget about the past.”