By:
Graeme Hanna
Derry City have announced the signing of Patrick McClean on a two-year contract after an undisclosed fee was agreed with Sligo Rovers.
The 29-year-old returns to his hometown club for a third spell, having played for the Candystripes on his breakthrough as a teenager and again in 2019, but he left in search of regular first-team football after just 10 appearances.
Last season, McClean played for the Bit O’ Red in the second half of the League of Ireland season, having previously played for Glentoran in the NIFL Premiership.
Get Paddy home, said Tiernan Lynch
Derry boss Tiernan Lynch was delighted to secure the arrival of McClean, a club youth product, having been impressed with him last season.
“He is a lad I know well, has spent a lot of time in the Irish League.
“He has been hugely impressive and it was time to get Paddy home,” said Lynch.
“Paddy has now got that little bit older and that little bit wiser. This is a really good opportunity for him to fulfil that dream to get on the pitch for his hometown club and he is desperate to be successful.
“In my opinion, he was the bedrock at Sligo last year. He scored a very good goal against us and had some top-quality performances,” added the former Larne manager.
https://twitter.com/derrycityfc/status/2012143812119056465
Time for stability for Patrick McClean
Patrick McClean has played for just four clubs in his senior career, but this is his ninth separate stint for different reasons.
He now joins Derry City for the third time, following on from a sojourn in Waterford, two spells at Sligo Rovers and two periods at Glentoran.
His brother, Wrexham’s James McClean, continues to be linked with a homecoming to Derry City and likely will be until it happens, or he retires!
Patrick McClean’s most productive time on the pitch was with the Glens in East Belfast, where he made over 150 appearances between 2019 and 2025, but he needs this homecoming to work if he is to make the best of his ability.
McClean needs stability, but it’s up to him to get in the best out of himself, so that he can make a consistent impact for Derry City in this important upcoming season.
Tiernan Lynch’s side will be competing on domestic and European fronts, as they aim to improve on last season’s second-place league finish and seek to emulate the gains of Shamrock Rovers and Shelbourne on the continent.
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