Kenny McLean
Encyclopedia
Kenneth "Kenny" McLean is a Scottish professional footballer who plays for Scottish Premier League
club St. Mirren
, as a central or left midfielder.
McLean started his career at Scottish Premier League
club St. Mirren
. He went on loan to First Division side Arbroath
for the second half of the 2009-10 season, before returning to St. Mirren and breaking into the first team.
He has represented Scotland
at under-19
and under-21
level.
and attended Cathkin High School
in Cambuslang
. McLean played in Rangers' youth squad
when he was younger, after he was released he joined St. Mirren
.
to Second Division club Arbroath
in the January 2010 transfer window, making a total of 23 appearances during the second half of the 2009-10 season. Arbroath got relegated that season after losing to Forfar Athletic
in the play-offs.
. St. Mirren were 2-0 down at the point and manager Danny Lennon
thought that there was; “nothing to lose, let’s stick a kid on”. However, McLean's drive and energy proved integral to St. Mirren, and helped them turn the deficit around. Three days after his debut, McLean made his first start in a 3-0 loss to Hearts
. Later in the week he signed a three year contract extension tying him to the club until 2014. McLean made his first home start, on 16 November, in a 1-0 loss to Celtic
. After this match he praised his manager for having faith in him and also said that he was amazed by the fact that only six months before he was playing in the Third Division relegation play-off, but was now playing against some of the best players in the country.
The 2011-12 season saw McLean begin to emerge as one of the top young talents in the SPL. His first game of the season was in a 1-1 draw, on 6 August, with Dundee United
where he came on as a 80th minute substitute. His first start came a week later in a 1-0 loss to Motherwell
. McLean continued to play regularly in the first team over the next few months and was in excellent form. He capped this off by scoring his first senior goal in a 1-0 win over St. Johnstone on 29 October. He then won the October 2011 Scottish Premier League Young Player of the Month award. After this, team-mate Gary Teale
said that he thought McLean was very similar to former Rangers
and Scotland
captain Barry Ferguson
, and said that he thought McLean would have a brilliant future in the game. In the weeks leading up to his award, McLean had been watched by English Championship clubs Burnley
and Crystal Palace
, with Celtic
also reportedly interested in him. Lennon encouraged the interest from other clubs, saying that he took it as a compliment to McLean's development. But he also said that he would not consider selling McLean in the near future and expressed his delight at the fact that he has tied down McLean on a long-term contract the previous season. On 19 November, McLean scored his second goal for St. Mirren in a 2-1 win over Dunfermline Athletic
.
team, McLean was called up by the Scottish under-21 national side
in March 2011, making his debut that same month.
McLean was not selected for the Scotland under-21 team to play in a 2013 European Under-21 Football Championship qualification match against the Netherlands
on 14 November. This was despite him being one of the most on-form midfielders in his age group. Manager Danny Lennon
expressed his surprise at this.
Former Scotland
international, and McLean's teammate at St. Mirren
, Gary Teale
compared him to Barry Ferguson
. Teale said that Mclean had shown incredible maturity at such a young age and that from their first training session together he could see McLean's talent. Teale also said that he thought McLean had a great first touch and that he was very composed and assured on the ball. He also said that he thought McLean's energy, work rate and athleticism were very good and this enabled him to make lots of attacking runs. Mclean's manager at St. Mirren, Danny Lennon
, said that he thought Mclean was an excellent passer and that he could "open a tin of beans" with his left foot and was also decent with his right. Lennon also said that McLean was a rare type of Scottish player because he was always looking for a 'slide-rule' pass and he was very good at delivering them.
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
club St. Mirren
St. Mirren F.C.
St Mirren Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Paisley, Renfrewshire who play in the Scottish Premier League, having been promoted from the First Division in 2005–06.St...
, as a central or left midfielder.
McLean started his career at Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
club St. Mirren
St. Mirren F.C.
St Mirren Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Paisley, Renfrewshire who play in the Scottish Premier League, having been promoted from the First Division in 2005–06.St...
. He went on loan to First Division side Arbroath
Arbroath F.C.
Arbroath F.C. are a Scottish football club currently playing in the Scottish Second Division. They were founded in 1878 and currently play their home matches at Gayfield, Arbroath, Angus. They play in maroon strips, and are nicknamed "The Red Lichties" due to the red light that used to guide...
for the second half of the 2009-10 season, before returning to St. Mirren and breaking into the first team.
He has represented Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
at under-19
Scotland national under-19 football team
The Scotland national under-19 football team, controlled by the Scottish Football Association, is Scotland's national football team for players of 19 years of age or under at the start of a European Under-19 Football Championship campaign....
and under-21
level.
Early life and career
McLean was born in RutherglenRutherglen
Rutherglen is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. In 1975, it lost its own local council and administratively became a component of the City of Glasgow. In 1996 Rutherglen was reallocated to the South Lanarkshire council area.-History:...
and attended Cathkin High School
Cathkin High School
Cathkin High School is a state secondary school in Cambuslang, South Lanarkshire , Scotland, United Kingdom.-Senior Management Team:...
in Cambuslang
Cambuslang
Cambuslang is a suburban town on the south-eastern outskirts of Glasgow, Scotland. It is within the local authority area of South Lanarkshire. Historically, it was a large rural Parish incorporating nearby hamlets of Newton, Flemington, and Halfway. It is known as "the largest village in...
. McLean played in Rangers' youth squad
Rangers F.C. Reserve and Youth squads
In addition to the first team, Rangers F.C. also have a reserve team and an under-19 side.On 20 April 2004, Rangers Football Club announced the creation of a new company which would oversee the development of the club's youth players. The company, called Rangers Youth Development Limited, is...
when he was younger, after he was released he joined St. Mirren
St. Mirren F.C.
St Mirren Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Paisley, Renfrewshire who play in the Scottish Premier League, having been promoted from the First Division in 2005–06.St...
.
Arbroath (loan)
McLean moved on loan from St. MirrenSt. Mirren F.C.
St Mirren Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Paisley, Renfrewshire who play in the Scottish Premier League, having been promoted from the First Division in 2005–06.St...
to Second Division club Arbroath
Arbroath F.C.
Arbroath F.C. are a Scottish football club currently playing in the Scottish Second Division. They were founded in 1878 and currently play their home matches at Gayfield, Arbroath, Angus. They play in maroon strips, and are nicknamed "The Red Lichties" due to the red light that used to guide...
in the January 2010 transfer window, making a total of 23 appearances during the second half of the 2009-10 season. Arbroath got relegated that season after losing to Forfar Athletic
Forfar Athletic F.C.
Forfar Athletic Football Club are a Scottish semi-professional football club from the town of Forfar, Angus. They are members of the Scottish Football League and currently play in the Second Division...
in the play-offs.
St. Mirren
18-year old, McLean made his debut on 17 October coming on as a substitute in 2-2 draw against HamiltonHamilton Academical F.C.
Hamilton Academical Football Club, often known as Hamilton Academical, or Accies, are a Scottish football club from Hamilton in South Lanarkshire. They were established in 1874 from the school football team at Hamilton Academy. They remain the only professional club in British football to have...
. St. Mirren were 2-0 down at the point and manager Danny Lennon
Danny Lennon
Danny Lennon is a former association football player and current manager of Scottish Premier League club St. Mirren. Lennon played internationally for the Northern Ireland B national football team.-Club career:...
thought that there was; “nothing to lose, let’s stick a kid on”. However, McLean's drive and energy proved integral to St. Mirren, and helped them turn the deficit around. Three days after his debut, McLean made his first start in a 3-0 loss to Hearts
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
. Later in the week he signed a three year contract extension tying him to the club until 2014. McLean made his first home start, on 16 November, in a 1-0 loss to Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
. After this match he praised his manager for having faith in him and also said that he was amazed by the fact that only six months before he was playing in the Third Division relegation play-off, but was now playing against some of the best players in the country.
The 2011-12 season saw McLean begin to emerge as one of the top young talents in the SPL. His first game of the season was in a 1-1 draw, on 6 August, with Dundee United
Dundee United F.C.
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...
where he came on as a 80th minute substitute. His first start came a week later in a 1-0 loss to Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
. McLean continued to play regularly in the first team over the next few months and was in excellent form. He capped this off by scoring his first senior goal in a 1-0 win over St. Johnstone on 29 October. He then won the October 2011 Scottish Premier League Young Player of the Month award. After this, team-mate Gary Teale
Gary Teale
Gary Teale is a Scottish professional footballer who currently plays as a winger for St. Mirren.Teale started his career in Scotland in 1995 with Clydebank before spending three years with Ayr United...
said that he thought McLean was very similar to former Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
and Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
captain Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson MBE is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Blackpool.Ferguson has made 82 appearances in European competitions, all for Rangers, which makes him the record European appearance holder at the club. He was also inducted into the Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame...
, and said that he thought McLean would have a brilliant future in the game. In the weeks leading up to his award, McLean had been watched by English Championship clubs Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
and Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
, with Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
also reportedly interested in him. Lennon encouraged the interest from other clubs, saying that he took it as a compliment to McLean's development. But he also said that he would not consider selling McLean in the near future and expressed his delight at the fact that he has tied down McLean on a long-term contract the previous season. On 19 November, McLean scored his second goal for St. Mirren in a 2-1 win over Dunfermline Athletic
Dunfermline Athletic F.C.
Dunfermline Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Dunfermline, Fife, commonly known as just Dunfermline. They currently compete in the Scottish Premier League....
.
International career
After playing for the Scotland under-19Scotland national under-19 football team
The Scotland national under-19 football team, controlled by the Scottish Football Association, is Scotland's national football team for players of 19 years of age or under at the start of a European Under-19 Football Championship campaign....
team, McLean was called up by the Scottish under-21 national side
Scotland national under-21 football team
The Scotland national under-21 football team, controlled by the Scottish Football Association, is Scotland's national under 21 football team and is considered to be a feeder team for the Scotland national football team....
in March 2011, making his debut that same month.
McLean was not selected for the Scotland under-21 team to play in a 2013 European Under-21 Football Championship qualification match against the Netherlands
Netherlands national under-21 football team
The Netherlands national under-21 football team is the national under-21 team of the Netherlands and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association. The team competes in the European Under-21 Championship, held every two years....
on 14 November. This was despite him being one of the most on-form midfielders in his age group. Manager Danny Lennon
Danny Lennon
Danny Lennon is a former association football player and current manager of Scottish Premier League club St. Mirren. Lennon played internationally for the Northern Ireland B national football team.-Club career:...
expressed his surprise at this.
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| St. Mirren St. Mirren F.C. St Mirren Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Paisley, Renfrewshire who play in the Scottish Premier League, having been promoted from the First Division in 2005–06.St... |
2009–10 2009–10 Scottish Premier League The 2009–10 Scottish Premier League season was the twelfth season of the Scottish Premier League. Rangers were the defending champions and they retained the championship with three games to spare by winning 1–0 against Hibernian at Easter Road on 25 April... |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010–11 2010–11 Scottish Premier League The 2010–11 Scottish Premier League was the thirteenth season of the Scottish Premier League, the highest division of Scottish football. It commenced on 14 August 2010 and ended on 15 May 2011... |
19 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | |
| 2011–12 2011–12 Scottish Premier League The 2011–12 Scottish Premier League is the fourteenth season of the Scottish Premier League, the highest division of Scottish football, since its inception in 1998. The season started on 23 July 2011.... |
13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 | |
| Total | 32 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 2 | |
| Arbroath Arbroath F.C. Arbroath F.C. are a Scottish football club currently playing in the Scottish Second Division. They were founded in 1878 and currently play their home matches at Gayfield, Arbroath, Angus. They play in maroon strips, and are nicknamed "The Red Lichties" due to the red light that used to guide... (loan) |
2009–10 2009–10 Scottish Second Division The 2009–10 Scottish Second Division will be the fifteenth season of the Second Division in its current format of ten teams.-First & Second Divisions:Relegated from First Division to Second Division* Clyde... |
20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 1 |
| Career total | 52 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 62 | 3 | |
Style of play
McLean's favoured position is as a central midfielder, but he can also play on the left. He has said that he favours playing in the centre because he can get more of the ball and influence play more than when he is on the left. He is a naturally attacking player and when playing in the centre he is able to make runs to and beyond the striker which adds an extra dimension to his teams play.Former Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
international, and McLean's teammate at St. Mirren
St. Mirren F.C.
St Mirren Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Paisley, Renfrewshire who play in the Scottish Premier League, having been promoted from the First Division in 2005–06.St...
, Gary Teale
Gary Teale
Gary Teale is a Scottish professional footballer who currently plays as a winger for St. Mirren.Teale started his career in Scotland in 1995 with Clydebank before spending three years with Ayr United...
compared him to Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson MBE is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Blackpool.Ferguson has made 82 appearances in European competitions, all for Rangers, which makes him the record European appearance holder at the club. He was also inducted into the Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame...
. Teale said that Mclean had shown incredible maturity at such a young age and that from their first training session together he could see McLean's talent. Teale also said that he thought McLean had a great first touch and that he was very composed and assured on the ball. He also said that he thought McLean's energy, work rate and athleticism were very good and this enabled him to make lots of attacking runs. Mclean's manager at St. Mirren, Danny Lennon
Danny Lennon
Danny Lennon is a former association football player and current manager of Scottish Premier League club St. Mirren. Lennon played internationally for the Northern Ireland B national football team.-Club career:...
, said that he thought Mclean was an excellent passer and that he could "open a tin of beans" with his left foot and was also decent with his right. Lennon also said that McLean was a rare type of Scottish player because he was always looking for a 'slide-rule' pass and he was very good at delivering them.