About James McClean
James McClean is a talented Irish professional footballer known for his role as a winger. He currently plays for Wigan Athletic in the EFL League One and represents the Republic of Ireland National Team. His football journey began with clubs like Trojans, Institute, and his hometown club Derry City. He then made a move to Sunderland before joining Wigan Athletic in August 2013. During his time at Wigan, he earned recognition as their player of the year in his second season. Subsequently, McClean returned to the Premier League by joining West Bromwich Albion in June 2015, spending three seasons with the Baggies. In July 2018, he made another transfer, this time to Stoke City. However, he re-signed for Wigan Athletic in August 2021, marking his return to the club. Born and raised in Derry, he initially played for the Northern Ireland national under-21 football team. However, he declined a call-up to the senior squad, expressing his desire to play for the Republic of Ireland. In February 2012, he received international clearance from FIFA, allowing him to represent the Republic of Ireland. McClean made his debut for the national team against the Czech Republic in the same month. He has since represented Ireland in prestigious tournaments like UEFA Euro 2012 and UEFA Euro 2016, showcasing his skills on the international stage.
James McClean Early Life & Family
James Joseph McClean, known as James McClean, was born on 22 April 1989 in Derry, Northern Ireland. His parents are Shauna McClean and Patrick McClean. He has two siblings, a brother named Patrick McClean and a sister named Mary Jane McClean. James holds Irish nationality and identifies with an Irish-White ethnicity. He follows the Christian religion. As of 2023, he celebrated his 34th birthday. Aries is his zodiac sign. He 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.
James McClean Football Career
Institute
- After starting his career at Institute, James McClean had a single appearance as a substitute for the first team during the 2007-2008 Irish Premier League season against Glentoran.
- However, when the summer of 2008 arrived, Institute made the decision not to extend his contract.
Derry City
- McClean's journey in professional football continued as he made his debut for the Derry City first team on 1 July 2008, impressively scoring the opening goal in a 4-1 victory against Bohemians during a League Cup match.
- Later, on 8 September 2008, he made his League of Ireland debut for Derry City, coming on as a substitute for Kevin McHugh in a game against Cork City held at Turner's Cross.
- The following year, during the 2009 season, Derry City faced severe financial difficulties, leading to delayed payments for the players.
- In November 2009, he engaged in talks with Lincoln City, an English League Two side, but ultimately chose not to sign a contract due to homesickness.
- Despite the challenges, McClean and Derry City finished the season in fourth place. However, their participation in the league was short-lived as they were expelled by the FAI due to violating regulations by maintaining unofficial contracts with players.
- Consequently, they were invited to join the League of Ireland First Division.
- In December 2009, he became one of the first players to sign for the reformed Derry City, along with David McDaid, Shane McEleney, and Patrick McEleney.
- He played a crucial role in the 2010 season, scoring eight goals in 33 appearances, helping Derry City secure their return to the top flight.
- As his performances caught the attention of English clubs, Peterborough United made unsuccessful bids for him in the 2011 season, and Everton also expressed interest.
- Eventually, in August 2011, Derry City accepted an offer from Sunderland, marking McClean's move to the English club.
Sunderland
- On 9 August 2011, James McClean made a move to Sunderland for a transfer fee of £350,000, signing a three-year contract.
- Although initially seen as "one for the future" by manager Steve Bruce, McClean was expected to spend time in the reserve team until Christmas. However, his impressive performances in the development squad, including a goal in a 4-3 victory over Newcastle United, earned him a place on the Sunderland bench.
- Under Martin O'Neill's management, McClean finally made his first-team debut on 11 December, coming on as a substitute for Jack Colback in a 2-1 comeback win against Blackburn Rovers.
- His first start for Sunderland came on 1 January 2012, where he contributed to a 1-0 victory over Manchester City and scored his first senior goal in a 4-1 win against Wigan Athletic two days later.
- McClean continued to make an impact, providing assists and scoring crucial goals, including the only goal in a snowy 1-0 win over Stoke City.
- In March 2012, he signed a contract extension, committing himself to the club until 2015.
- McClean's performances earned him Sunderland's Young Player of the Year Award for the 2011-2012 season. However, in August 2013, McClean fell out of favor with Sunderland supporters after refusing to wear a poppy, eventually leading to his departure from the club.
- In later interviews, McClean expressed feeling "hung out to dry" by Sunderland.
Wigan Athletic
- On 8 August 2013, McClean made a transfer to Wigan Athletic, a Championship club, signing a three-year contract.
- Just three days later, he made his debut for Wigan in the 2013 FA Community Shield held at Wembley Stadium, starting in a 2-0 defeat against Manchester United.
- McClean scored his first goal for Wigan on 26 January 2014, during the FA Cup fourth round, securing a 2-1 victory against Crystal Palace.
- Although he had previously scored against Sheffield Wednesday on 18 December, the match was abandoned due to heavy rain, and his goal was subsequently removed from the records.
- In the 2013-2014 season, McClean played in 49 matches and scored four goals as Wigan reached the Championship play-offs, where they suffered a 2-1 loss to Queens Park Rangers.
- Unfortunately, the following season, 2014-2015, was challenging for Wigan as they finished in 23rd place and were ultimately relegated to League One.
West Bromwich Albion
- On 22 June 2015, McClean made the decision to sign for West Bromwich Albion on a three-year contract, rejecting a move to New York Red Bulls in the process. The transfer fee for his move to West Brom was estimated to be around £1.5 million.
- During the team's tour of the United States in July, McClean attracted attention when he turned his back on the Flag of England while the British national anthem, "God Save the Queen," was being played before a match against the Charleston Battery. This action led to a verbal warning from manager Tony Pulis.
- McClean made his competitive debut for West Brom on 10 August, as they faced Manchester City at The Hawthorns to start the season. However, he was met with boos from his own team's fans whenever he touched the ball and was substituted at halftime for Claudio Yacob, as West Brom suffered a 3-0 defeat.
- On 17 October, after a 1-0 home win against his former club Sunderland, McClean taunted the visiting fans, resulting in confrontations between players and a subsequent warning from the FA.
- He scored his first goal for West Brom on 5 December, heading in an equalizer in a 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur. However, two weeks later, he was sent off in the first half of a 2-1 home loss to Bournemouth, alongside teammate Salomón Rondón, for a challenge on Adam Smith.
- Throughout the 2015-2016 season, McClean played in 42 matches as West Brom finished in 14th position.
- In the following season, he continued to make an impact, scoring goals such as in a 4-2 win over West Ham United on 17 September 2016.
- He also received a contract extension until 2019 with the option for a further year. However, his aggressive tackling in a 3-1 win against Watford caused tension with Watford captain Troy Deeney.
- Overall, he played 42 times as West Brom finished in 10th position. The 2017-2018 season was tumultuous for West Brom as they went through four managers and struggled in the Premier League, ultimately relegating to the Championship despite a late resurgence.
Stoke City
- In July 2018, McClean joined Stoke City on a four-year contract for a fee of £5 million.
- He made his debut for Stoke on 5 August 2018 in a match against Leeds United.
- McClean scored his first goal for the club on 25 August 2018, contributing to a 2-0 victory over Hull City. However, in September 2018, he suffered a broken arm while on international duty with the Republic of Ireland.
- Despite the setback, McClean played 45 times in the 2018-2019 season, scoring three goals, as Stoke finished in 16th place.
- The following season, 2019-2020, McClean initially played as a makeshift left-back under Nathan Jones, but after a poor start to the season, Michael O'Neill took over as manager and deployed McClean in his natural left-wing position.
- McClean became a key player under O'Neill, helping the team secure positive results and move out of the relegation zone.
- He ended the campaign with seven goals from 37 appearances, and Stoke avoided relegation, finishing in 15th position.
- McClean's performances earned him the Player of the Year award voted by supporters.
- In the 2020-2021 season, McClean made 29 appearances, scoring two goals, as Stoke finished in 14th place.
- However, he faced disciplinary issues during the season, breaching COVID-19 protocols by going to a gym during the lockdown, and also drew criticism from O'Neill for playing for Ireland while still recovering from a foot injury in March 2021.
Return to Wigan Athletic
- On 17 August 2021, McClean made a return to Wigan Athletic, signing a one-year contract with the club.
- He claimed to have turned down Bolton Wanderers in order to rejoin Wigan, but Bolton manager Ian Evatt refuted this statement, asserting that Bolton had no interest in signing McClean and that his agent had persistently contacted Bolton, pleading for a contract for three weeks.
- On 16 October, McClean showcased his impact by scoring two goals in a 4-0 victory against Bolton. However, the match was marred by hostility as Bolton fans threw bottles and other objects at McClean, leading to a disruption that lasted for over 10 minutes, with Wigan fans subsequently tearing down advertising boards.
- Despite the chaos, McClean's performance remained noteworthy. Wigan Athletic were eventually promoted as Champions, and at the end of the 2021-2022 season, McClean signed a new one-year contract extension.
- He started the new season on a positive note, scoring his first goal on 6 August 2022 in a 1-1 draw against Norwich City at Carrow Road.
James McClean International career
Northern Ireland
- McClean showcased his talent as part of the victorious Northern Ireland team that claimed the 2008 Milk Cup, and he made his mark by scoring in the opening game, contributing to a 3-1 victory against the US.
- He also represented Northern Ireland on seven occasions at the Under 21 level. His potential was recognized, and on 26 July 2011, he received a call-up to the Northern Ireland senior squad for a match against the Faroe Islands scheduled for 10 August 2011.
- However, McClean made the decision to await selection by the Republic of Ireland, leading to his withdrawal from the Northern Ireland squad.
- Despite contact from Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill in January 2012, McClean remained firm in his choice and confirmed that he would not reconsider his decision.
Republic of Ireland
- McClean's impressive performances in the Premier League garnered increasing calls for his inclusion in the Republic of Ireland national team, with Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill expressing his belief that McClean was more than capable of joining the Euro 2012 squad.
- He received international clearance to play for the Republic of Ireland on 9 February, but he was initially left out of the squad for the upcoming match against the Czech Republic. However, after a successful display against Arsenal in the FA Cup, he was added to the squad on 20 February.
- He made his international debut on 29 February 2012, coming on as a substitute in the 78th minute of a friendly against the Czech Republic.
- Manager Giovanni Trapattoni later confirmed that McClean was included in the Irish UEFA Euro 2012 squad.
- Unfortunately, he faced sectarian abuse and death threats on social media platforms, which led him to express discomfort due to the atmosphere during matches.
- On 26 May 2012, he earned his first senior international start in a friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina, playing on the left flank.
- Despite being left on the bench for Ireland's first Euro 2012 match against Croatia, McClean made an appearance as a substitute in the following match against Spain, coming on in the 76th minute.
- On 7 September 2012, following his omission from the starting lineup in Ireland's World Cup 2014 qualifier against Kazakhstan, he took to Twitter to criticize manager Giovanni Trapattoni.
- The tweet, along with McClean's account, was later deleted, and the winger was required to apologize to his teammates for his actions.
- Despite this incident, he continued to represent Ireland and achieved significant milestones in his international career.
- On 11 June 2014, he scored his first international goal in a 5-1 defeat against Portugal during Ireland's US tour.
- Later, on 11 October, he made an impactful appearance in the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying campaign, scoring two goals in a 7-0 victory over Gibraltar at the Aviva Stadium.
- He also showcased his ability to convert penalties, scoring his first professional penalty on 29 March 2016 in a friendly against Slovakia, helping Ireland secure a 2-2 draw.
- Furthermore, on 9 October 2017, he scored the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Wales in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification, securing Ireland's spot in the playoffs. McClean faced challenges in the form of testing positive for COVID-19, as announced by the Football Association of Ireland on 16 November 2020, after playing a full game against Wales.
- Nevertheless, he continued to represent his country, reaching a significant milestone on 14 June 2022, when he captained Ireland for the first time in a 1-1 draw against Ukraine in a UEFA Nations League match.
- Finally, on 19 June 2023, McClean achieved the remarkable feat of earning his 100th international appearance, becoming the 7th Irish player to do so in a 3-0 home win against Gibraltar during the Euro 2024 qualification.
James McClean Transfer fee
- James McClean's transfer fee to Wigan Athletic on 17 Aug 2021 is unknown
- Stoke City transferred James McClean to Wigan Athletic on 22 Jul 2018 for a fee of 5.6 million euros
- West Bromwich Albion transferred James McClean to Wigan Athletic on 1 Jul 2015 for a fee of 2.1 million euros
- Wigan Athletic transferred James McClean to Wigan Athletic on 8 Aug 2013 for a fee of 2.3 million euros
- Sunderland transferred James McClean to Wigan Athletic on 9 Aug 2011 for a fee of 750,000 euros
- Derry City transferred James McClean to Wigan Athletic on 1 Jan 2007 from Derry City U19, but the fee is not specified
James McClean Awards, Honours & Achievements
Derry City
- League of Ireland First Division: 2010
Wigan Athletic
- EFL League One: 2021–22
Individual
- PFAI First Division Team of the Year: 2010
- Sunderland Young Player of the Year: 2011–12
- Wigan Player of the Year: 2014–15, 2022–23
- RTÉ Sports Person of the Year: 2017
- Stoke City Player of the Year: 2020
James McClean Net Worth
James McClean, a highly skilled footballer, has amassed a substantial net worth estimated to be between $1 million and $5 million as of 2023. His primary source of income stems from his successful football career, encompassing contracts, salaries, bonuses, and endorsement deals. He is making an annual salary of around $500K at present. McClean's journey began in 2011 when he transferred to Sunderland for a fee of £350,000, signing a three-year contract. Subsequently, in June 2015, he made a move to West Bromwich Albion on a three-year deal for a fee of approximately £1.5 million. Continuing his career trajectory, he joined Stoke in July 2018 on a four-year contract, with a transfer fee of £5 million. Additionally, his market value is valued at €500k as of 1st July 2023. Despite his financial success, McClean is known for leading a modest lifestyle.
James McClean Wife & Children
In 2016, James McClean entered marital bliss with his wife, Erin Connor, as they exchanged vows at St Columb's Church in Derry, Northern Ireland. Their loving union has been blessed with three children: Allie Mae, James Junior, and Willow Ivy. As of July 2022, they are expecting their fourth child. McClean and his partner share a strong and intimate bond, creating a happy and fulfilling life together with their children. As a family, they enjoy a joyous and contented existence. James McClean identifies as straight, indicating his sexual orientation.
James McClean Height & Weight
James McClean is not only a skilled footballer but also possesses a handsome appearance. Standing at a height of 1.80 m (5 feet and 11 inches) and maintaining a body weight of 70 kg, he showcases an athletic body build. With light blue eyes and blonde hair, McClean exhibits a striking combination. His commitment to fitness is evident as he frequently visits the gym to ensure his body remains in shape. Overall, he boasts a healthy and well-maintained physique. Furthermore, he has inked several tattoos on his body.
