James McClean

Institute

McClean began his career at Institute, making one first team appearance as a substitute against Glentoran in the 2007–08 Irish Premier League season. Institute decided not to renew his contract in the summer of 2008.

Derry City

McClean made his Derry City first team debut on 1 July 2008 in a League Cup tie at home to Bohemians, opening the scoring in a 4–1 win. He made his League of Ireland debut for Derry City as a substitute for Kevin McHugh playing against Cork City at Turner's Cross on 8 September 2008. In his first full season with Derry in the 2009 season the club suffered serious financial problems and the players went weeks without payment. During this period in November 2009 McClean held talks with English League Two side Lincoln City, but this did not result in a contract, after McClean felt homesick. Derry finished the season in 4th place but were expelled by the FAI due to breaking regulations by holding secondary, unofficial contracts with players. They were invited to join the League of Ireland First Division. In December 2009 McClean was one of the first four players to sign for the new Derry City, along with David McDaid, and the McEleney brothers — Shane and Patrick. McClean scored eight goals in 33 appearances in the 2010 season helping Derry return to the top-flight. McClean began to attract more interest from English clubs in the 2011 season with Peterborough United making some unsuccessful bids. He also attracted interest from…

McClean had represented Northern Ireland at a number of junior levels, but ultimately opted to represent the Republic of Ireland at senior level.

Northern Ireland

McClean was part of the Northern Ireland team that won the 2008 Milk Cup and scored in the opening game in a 3–1 win against the US. He has also represented Northern Ireland seven times at Under 21 level. On 26 July 2011 he was called up to the Northern Ireland senior squad for the match against the Faroe Islands on 10 August 2011. McClean decided to wait for selection by the Republic of Ireland and therefore pulled out of the Northern Ireland squad. In January 2012 he again confirmed he would not be reconsidering his decision although Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill had been in contact with him.

Republic of Ireland

McClean's success in the Premier League saw increasing calls for Giovanni Trapattoni to select him for the Republic of Ireland, with Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill saying after McClean's winning goal at Stoke: "I think he's more than capable of going to Euro 2012 ... Hopefully he's making such an impact he'll be watched by someone in the Ireland camp, even if it's not Trapattoni. They couldn't fail to be impressed." McClean received international clearance to play for the Republic of Ireland on 9 February. However, he was not included in the squad for the match against the Czech Republic which was announced the next day, though he was added to the squad on 20 February…

McClean grew up in the Creggan area of Derry and attended Holy Family Primary School and St. Peter's High School. He played Gaelic football with Seán Dolans GAC before concentrating on association football.

He is the older brother of fellow professional footballer Patrick McClean. McClean began a relationship with Erin Connor in 2010. They married in 2016, in their hometown of Derry. As of February 2023, they have three daughters and a son. One of McClean's daughters has autism and McClean revealed in a social media post that he had also been diagnosed with autism. He highlighted in his statement that he went public with the diagnosis in order to support his daughter during World Autism Acceptance Week. In 2013, McClean, then of Sunderland, attracted criticism when he wrote a tweet naming "The Broad Black Brimmer" as his favourite song by the Irish rebel band the Wolfe Tones. The song is associated with physical force Irish republicanism. As a result of his tweet, his club manager, Martin O'Neill, advised him to stop using Twitter. Since his move to English football in 2012, McClean and his family have received anti-Irish abuse, both in person and on social media. In November 2018, Chris McGimpsey, a Belfast City Council member from the Ulster Unionist Party, referred to McClean as a "super Provo" during a debate on BBC Radio Ulster; the epithet refers to supporters of the Provisional Irish Republican Army. McGimpsey apologised to McClean, admitted what he said was false, and agreed to pay damages in March 2019. In September 2019, the High Court of Northern Ireland ordered McGimpsey to pay McClean £63,000 in damages and legal costs.

Remembrance poppy controversy

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