Kenneth "Kenny" McLean is a Scottish professional footballer who plays for Scottish Premiership
club St. Mirren, as a central midfielder or left midfielder.
He is an attack minded player known for his good technique and passing ability, as well
as his high work-rate.
McLean started his career at SPL club St. Mirren.
He went on loan to Second Division side Arbroath for the second half of the 2009–10 season,
before returning to St. Mirren and breaking into the first team.
He won the SPL young player of the month award for October 2011.
He has represented Scotland at the under-19 and under-21 international levels.
Club career Early life and career
McLean was born in Rutherglen and attended Cathkin High School in Cambuslang.
He played in Rangers' youth squad when he was younger.
After being released by them he joined St. Mirren.
Arbroath McLean moved on loan from St. Mirren to Second
Division club Arbroath in December 2009.
Arbroath signed McLean, along with Kilmarnock striker Daniel McKay, to cover for injuries.
On 12 December, McLean made his debut for Arbroath in a 4–3 loss to Stirling Albion.
Shortly after this match, Arbroath signed McLean's St. Mirren team mate Kyle Faulds
on loan.
On 10 April, McLean scored his only goal for Arbroath, a penalty kick in a 4–2 loss against
Stirling Albion.
He made a total of 23 appearances during the second half of the 2009–10 season.
Arbroath were relegated to the Third Division at the end of the season, after losing to
Forfar Athletic in the relegation play-off.
McLean has said that his loan spell at Arbroath helped him develop as a player and also to
become more mature.
St. Mirren 18-year old McLean made his debut on 17 October
2010, coming on as a substitute in a 2–2 draw against Hamilton.
St. Mirren were 2–0 down when he came on and their manager, Danny Lennon, thought that
they were going to lose anyway so he would bring a youngster on.
However, The Herald noted that McLean's "drive and energy" lifted St. Mirren and helped them
to turn the game around and get a draw.
Three days after his debut, McLean made his first start for St. Mirren, 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.
He then made his first home start, in a 1–0 loss to Celtic on 16 November.
After this match he thanked 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 Second Division
relegation play-off, but was now playing against some of the best players in the country.
He went on to make a total of 23 appearances during the 2010–11 season.
Sky Sports said that during the 2011–12 season McLean had begun to emerge as one of
the top young talents in the SPL.
His first game of the season was on 6 August, in a 1–1 draw against Dundee United, where
he came on as an 80th minute substitute.
His first start came a week later in a 1–0 loss to Motherwell.
McLean then played regularly in the first team over the next few months and was in excellent
form.
He scored his first senior goal in a 1–0 win over St. Johnstone on 29 October and was
rewarded with the SPL Young Player of the Month award for October 2011.
After this, team-mate Gary Teale said that he thought McLean was very similar to former
Rangers and Scotland captain Barry Ferguson, and 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 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 had already signed McLean on a long-term contract.
On 19 November, McLean scored his second goal for St. Mirren, in a 2–1 win over Dunfermline
Athletic.
He then scored St. Mirren's first goal, on 10 December, as they came from behind to secure
a 2–2 draw against Aberdeen.
McLean was one of the four players nominated for the SPL young Player of the Year Award.
In January 2014 it was announced that McLean would be out-of-action for 6 weeks following
knee surgery.
On 2 July 2014 it was announced that McLean had a signed a two-year contract extension
with the club, following much speculation that he would leave the club in the summer.
International career McLean earned his first call-up for Scotland
under-19 squad in October 2010, coming on as a 58th minute substitute in a 4–2 win
over Norway.
In March 2011, he was then called up to the under-21 team.
Making his debut, again from the bench, as Scotland beat Belgium 1–0.
He 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 2011.
St. Mirren manager Danny Lennon expressed his surprise at McLean being left out of the
squad.
The Herald said that this was understandable given that he was "among the on-form midfielders
of his age group" at the time.
Career statistics As of 8 November 2014
Style of play McLean's favoured position is as a central
midfielder, but he can also play as a left midfielder.
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 makes runs to and
beyond the striker which adds an extra dimension to his team's play.
Former Scotland international, and McLean's teammate at St. Mirren, Gary Teale has 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.
McLean has an excellent first touch and is also very composed and assured on the ball.
McLean also has very high energy, work rate and athleticism which enable 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 actually capable of delivering them.
References