In an effort to defuse the tension, O'Connell, who is related to Irish rugby legend Paul O'Connell, found himself pushed as he tried to intervene. The incident was watched with appreciation by American Football icon and Birmingham part-owner Tom Brady , as caught by TV cameras.
McClean deftly caught a beverage hurled at him while exiting the pitch amidst verbal jeers from the stands. The Derry native shrugged off the hostility with a laugh, proudly displaying his leg tattoo while some attendees were restrained by security, reports the Irish Mirror .
One spectator remarked: "Birmingham fans launching a beer at James McClean, who has the home fans on strings." Another observed: "James McClean catching a beer thrown at him by Birmingham fans and absolutely rattling their fan base by simply walking near them is too funny."
And another echoed: "James McClean stirring the very rattled Birmingham fans by him and catching beers thrown at him." Brady had the last laugh over Wrexham's Hollywood owners as two goals from big-money summer signing Jay Stansfield secured a win for Birmingham at St Andrew's.
Joining seven-time Super Bowl champion Brady and Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney in the stands was former England captain David Beckham, who watched Jack Marriott's early goal quieten a boisterous St Andrew's before Stansfield scored on his first league start in front of 27,980 fans.
Stansfield's move from Fulham for an eight-figure fee was a hot topic but it proved to be a wise investment when he put City ahead early in the second half.
Tomoki Iwata's stunning goal helped secure the points before Krystian Bielik was sent off late in the game. Wrexham, whose other Hollywood co-owner Ryan Reynolds was absent, took an early lead Tom O'Connor's inswinging corner caused chaos under the crossbar and Bailey Peacock-Farrell punched out to Marriott who powered home.
But the visitors couldn't maintain a fifth consecutive clean sheet as Alfie May's initial shot was saved by Arthur Okonkwo and the ball fell to Stansfield who struck in the rebound.
Birmingham turned the game around thanks largely to a spectacular cross from Cochrane which found the head of Stansfield and he nodded home for his second of the night.
The hosts had some breathing room in the 59th minute as Iwata unleashed a thunderbolt from 25 yards which flew past Okonkwo to make it 3-1.
Birmingham were left a man short for the final four minutes after Bielik received his second yellow card for a late tackle on Andy Cannon, but by then Wrexham's unbeaten start to the season had already been shattered. The hosts now find themselves tied on 13 points with table-toppers Wrexham.
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