James McClean

James McClean
McClean with the Republic of Ireland in 2013
Personal information
Full name James Joseph McClean[1]
Date of birth (1989-04-22) 22 April 1989 (age 35)[2]
Place of birth Derry, Northern Ireland
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[3][4]
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
Wrexham
Number 7
Youth career
Trojans
Institute
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2008 Institute 1 (0)
2008–2011 Derry City 79 (16)
2011–2013 Sunderland 59 (7)
2013–2015 Wigan Athletic 73 (9)
2015–2018 West Bromwich Albion 99 (4)
2018–2021 Stoke City 102 (12)
2021–2023 Wigan Athletic 79 (12)
2023– Wrexham 51 (5)
International career
2008–2009 Northern Ireland U21 7 (0)
2012–2023 Republic of Ireland 103 (11)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:56, 10 November 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:26, 21 November 2023 (UTC)

James Joseph McClean (/məˈkln/ mə-KLAYN; born 22 April 1989) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a winger for EFL League One club Wrexham.

McClean began his career with Trojans, Institute, and Derry City of his hometown. He signed for Sunderland in England's Premier League in 2011 and moved to Wigan Athletic in August 2013. He spent two seasons at Wigan, claiming their player of the year award in the latter, and then returned to the Premier League by joining West Bromwich Albion in June 2015. McClean spent three season with the Baggies before joining Stoke City in July 2018. McClean re-signed for Wigan Athletic in August 2021 and joined Wrexham two years later.

McClean was born and brought up in Derry and played for the Northern Ireland national under-21 football team, but declined a call-up to the senior squad because he wanted to play for the Republic of Ireland. In February 2012, McClean received international clearance from FIFA which made him eligible to play for the Republic of Ireland, making his debut against the Czech Republic in the same month. He made 103 appearances for the nation over the next 11 years, and represented them at the UEFA European Championship in 2012 and 2016.

  1. ^ "Notification of shirt numbers: Stoke City" (PDF). English Football League. p. 67. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Premier League Player Profile James McClean". Barclays Premier League. 2016. Archived from the original on 17 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  3. ^ Player Profiles. "West Bromwich Albion FC Player Profiles". Archived from the original on 18 May 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  4. ^ "James McClean". Football Association of Ireland.