James McClean returns home to Derry City and vows "I owe this club a league title!"

The 103 capped Ireland international arrived in Derry on Saturday after 'four sleepless nights' to complete his permanent return to his hometown club on a multi-year contract from EFL Championship outfit Wrexham where he made 19 appearances this term.

The 36 year-old ex-Wrexham captain had 18 months remaining in his deal at the Racecourse Ground but when he realised his game-time would be limited, he negotiated his 'dream' return to Derry City where he intends to transform the club from 'nearly men' to title winners 15 years after making his cross-Channel move.

McClean, who will play alongside his younger brother Patrick who joined the club 24 hours previously, insists he would've prolonged his stay in England if he didn't believe Tiernan Lynch's Derry side could bring that elusive league title home.

He left Foyleside for Sunderland midseason for a fee of £350,000 back in 2011 when Stephen Kenny's troops were on the cusp of winning the title but ultimately the Candy Stripes fell short and McClean feels a certain amount of responsibility for those shortcomings. It's a 'challenge' that's driving him forward.

"It's been no secret what this club means to me," said McClean at a hastily arranged press conference at the club's Buncrana Road offices on Saturday afternoon. "It was always the plan to come home.

"And now it's a bit surreal that it's here and it's happened. I can't wait to get started. This club hasn't won a league title since 1996/97 and for a club of this stature on this island I think that can't continue.

"From the outside looking in you can have all the opinions in the world but now that I'm here, I have an opportunity to try to help change that. That's a major factor in why I'm coming home. It's about time we stopped being nearly men and actually go and start winning honours.

"We were on the verge [in 2011]. I wouldn't say it's an ego thing but I felt the way we were going to if I had stayed - I think we would've won the league. There's no regret. I'm not someone who would hold onto regret anyway and it was an opportunity that was just impossible to turn down [to join Sunderland].

"But a little part of me, inside of me, feels like I owe this club a league title. I like to give myself little challenges and motivations to drive me on and that's something I will drum into my head now - that I owe the club a title! So that will push me on to try and give more of myself."

And he believes he's joining a squad who are on the brink.

"To be honest, I wouldn't have come back when I have. I would have probably prolonged my stay in England but the reason I'm back is because I feel we're so close. I don't think it's a lack of ability, I think it's a lack of belief.

"I think we need to now start believing that we can win the league. We've been so close now and it's about taking that next step. We want to win the league title; there's no two ways around that. I'm not shy in saying that. That's the goal of the season - to get a league title.

"You've got the current player of the year in the squad in Mickey [Duffy] who has been amazing. I played with [Liam] Boycie at underage. We have experience and quality with the likes of Carl Winchester. A lot of players now have a lot of experience and quality and played at a higher level. So now it's about combining that quality with belief to take the next step. That's the only thing that matters and going on and winning things now.

"I like challenges in my career and this is now probably one of the best challenges I get to take on."

McClean's move has been one of the worst kept secrets around Derry in recent days and has always been in the pipeline as he kept regular contact with Lynch since the Belfast man took the Brandywell reigns in November 2024.

A potential summer transfer was initially discussed but when it became clear McClean's game time would be limited following a chat with Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson, talks escalated. Regardless of timing, it was an opportunity the Creggan man couldn't refuse.

"Ideally it was a move we wanted to do in the summer but I spoke to the manager in November at Wrexham when I wasn't playing and told him that if that was the situation come January and I felt I wasn't getting the playing time I wanted then he would help me with a move somewhere else.

"I told him the only place I wanted to go was back home to Derry. Obviously I spoke to him the other day and I got the feeling I wouldn't get the game-time I would probably have wanted.

"I've never been someone to sit around and just pick up a wage. I want to play football and the club has been amazing in making it happen. Wrexham showed a touch of class and went above and beyond to make sure I was accommodated as best as possible in making this move happen. Sometimes in life opportunities come your way that you can't turn down. So I'm absolutely delighted to get it done."

He was approached by several people on his flight home to Derry, including SDLP Foyle MP Colum Eastwood who was among those who told him they were delighted to see him back at Brandywell but he had to break the news to his mum Shauna before it went public.

"One thing you find out is you can't keep a secret around Derry, it's just impossible. There were murmurs the other night. The plan was to tell nobody until it was announced. But once those murmurs were going about I thought I'd better tell her before she finds out. I told her and I've never seen a more excited adult in my whole life."

It's certainly become a family affair over the past couple of days as McClean will get ready to play alongside his younger sibling for the first time. So how will that dynamic work out?

"Me and him fight like cat and dog anyway," laughed McClean. "For me to get to play with my brother, we’re very close and it's something I'm really looking forward to. "Paddy has been here twice before and hasn't worked out probably because of a lack of maturity but now as a person and as a player he's come on leaps and bounds. He has the same passion to do well for this club. Make no mistake about it, we will be pushing each other every day to get the best out of one another."

McClean has played at two Uefa Euro Championships [2012 and 2016] with Ireland in 2016, captained his country, racked up over 750 senior appearances with Sunderland, Wigan Athletic, West Brom, Stoke City and Wrexham and joined the exclusive Ireland centurion club before retiring from international duty in 2023.

It's been a remarkable rags to riches story but it's now come full circle as he plans to finish his career with his beloved hometown club.

"If I was writing a book I couldn't have written it any better. I started my career at Derry and was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to go across the water and achieve what I've achieved. But also to get the opportunity to come back when I still feel I have a lot to give.

“That's the important thing. You get a lot of PR signings with players coming back when they have nothing left in them but I never wanted that to be the case. I wanted it to be that when I do come home I still have something to offer."

With PFAI Player of the Year Michael Duffy predominantly occupying that left-wing position, the big question is where will McClean fit into Lynch's team?

"Of course I've had conversations with Tiernan about where I will play. I'll not publicise that as it's in-house but you have the current player of the year playing on the left hand side - let him be! If it's not broken, don't fix it.

"But I'm here to try and bring my experience and quality and try to take us onto a new level. It's easy saying that but like anywhere you still have to produce the goods and that's something I've always backed myself to do and there's no difference in that."

McClean's arrival will no doubt drive up the standards at Brandywell and with European football to look forward to in the summer - 20 years on from Derry's famous Uefa Cup run - he's got his eyes on qualifying for group stages.

"It's something that rejuvenates cities. There's a lot of talk about players in this league with so many European appearances but for me I don't count qualifiers. As nice as it is to represent the club in Europe, it only matters whenever you get to the group stages. Hopefully we get to the group stages this year. Representing this club in the group stages of Europe, that's what I hope is the case. That's when it really will be special.

"I'm excited to work with Tiernan. I like everything he says. I like the way he tries to drive the standards. He's big on standards and that's something I pride myself on. Standards, looking after myself and being as professional as possible. We have to make sure that's the case throughout now.

"One thing I've learned, especially after coming from Wrexham, when everyone is pushing in the same direction and when that bond is created in the dressing room you can create magical times. That's what I want to do here now.

"The challenge and the pressure gets me excited. Some people wilt under pressure but I see it as when there's pressure put on you it's a privilege. People expect things off you but no one expects more off me than myself. Of course given my profile you're probably going to be judged a bit more than anybody else but that's something I'm used to and I excel on so I'm looking forward to it.

"It's pretty obvious that this is the last club of my career. This is where I'm ending my career. So if I was to win a league title here and go out that way then I couldn't have written the script any better."