JAMES MCCLEAN HAS returned to the League of Ireland with Derry City.
The winger has signed a multi-year deal at the Candystripes, with Championship club Wrexham agreeing to terminate his contract, which was due to expire in 18 months.
The Derry-born winger has made 19 appearances in all competitions this season for the Welsh club, though seven of those have been as a substitute, and the prospect of more regular minutes in the Premier Division is one of the reasons behind the move.
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McClean, who won 103 caps for Ireland before retiring from international duty in November 2023, lined out for Institute and Derry City in the early stages of his career, making 88 appearances for the latter.
As a 22-year-old, he joined Premier League side Sunderland for £350,000 in 2011, establishing himself in the Black Cats’ first team before subsequent stints at Wigan Athletic (twice), West Brom, and Stoke City.
The move from Wigan, who had just been relegated from the Championship, to Wrexham, then a League Two side, raised eyebrows, with Stephen Kenny acknowledging the switch contributed to the decision to leave McClean out of the Ireland squad, which the player described as “disrespectful”.
But the 36-year-old has made an impact at Wales, registering over 100 appearances as the club earned back-to-back promotions, and they currently sit ninth in the Championship.
“It is no secret what this club means to me, it was always the plan to come home,” McClean said today.
“It’s no secret what this club means to me. It was always the plan to come home. I can’t wait to get started.”
James McClean speaks for the first time after signing for Derry City.
“Its a bit surreal that its here and its happened but I can’t wait to get started.
“Wrexham and how they have dealt with this, absolute touch of class, they made it as easy as possible to come home. I spoke to the manager and I told him, the place I want to go is home.
“I like challenges in the career and this is now probably one of the best challenges I get to take on. This is the last club of my career, this is where I am ending my career. If I was to win a League title here and go out in that way I couldn’t write the script any better.”
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'The place I want to go is home' - James McClean returns to Derry City
LAST UPDATE | 17 Jan
JAMES MCCLEAN HAS returned to the League of Ireland with Derry City.
The winger has signed a multi-year deal at the Candystripes, with Championship club Wrexham agreeing to terminate his contract, which was due to expire in 18 months.
The Derry-born winger has made 19 appearances in all competitions this season for the Welsh club, though seven of those have been as a substitute, and the prospect of more regular minutes in the Premier Division is one of the reasons behind the move.
McClean, who won 103 caps for Ireland before retiring from international duty in November 2023, lined out for Institute and Derry City in the early stages of his career, making 88 appearances for the latter.
As a 22-year-old, he joined Premier League side Sunderland for £350,000 in 2011, establishing himself in the Black Cats’ first team before subsequent stints at Wigan Athletic (twice), West Brom, and Stoke City.
The move from Wigan, who had just been relegated from the Championship, to Wrexham, then a League Two side, raised eyebrows, with Stephen Kenny acknowledging the switch contributed to the decision to leave McClean out of the Ireland squad, which the player described as “disrespectful”.
But the 36-year-old has made an impact at Wales, registering over 100 appearances as the club earned back-to-back promotions, and they currently sit ninth in the Championship.
“It is no secret what this club means to me, it was always the plan to come home,” McClean said today.
“Its a bit surreal that its here and its happened but I can’t wait to get started.
“Wrexham and how they have dealt with this, absolute touch of class, they made it as easy as possible to come home. I spoke to the manager and I told him, the place I want to go is home.
“I like challenges in the career and this is now probably one of the best challenges I get to take on. This is the last club of my career, this is where I am ending my career. If I was to win a League title here and go out in that way I couldn’t write the script any better.”
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