Sam McClelland

Sam McClelland
This person
Personal information
Full name Sam Richard McClelland
Date of birth (2002-01-04) 4 January 2002 (age 24)
Place of birth Derry, Northern Ireland
Position Defender
Youth career
2010–2015 Limavady Youth
2015–2018 Coleraine
2018–2022 Chelsea
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2023 Chelsea 0 (0)
2022–2023 → Barrow (loan) 27 (1)
2023–2025 St Johnstone 8 (0)
2024 → Dundee United (loan) 6 (0)
2026– Larne 0 (0)
International career‡
2017–2019 Northern Ireland U17 11 (0)
2019 Northern Ireland U19 5 (0)
2021– Northern Ireland U21 10 (0)
2021– Northern Ireland 1 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 11 June 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of 23 September 2022

Sam Richard McClelland (born 4 January 2002) is a Northern Irish professional football player who plays for Larne F.C. and the Northern Ireland national team. He has had loan spells with Barrow and Dundee United.

Club career

Chelsea

McClelland began his youth career playing for Limavady Youths before moving to the Coleraine Academy. He made his Chelsea U18 debut against Arsenal in September 2018 and signed his first professional contract in July 2019.

On 23 June 2022, he signed on a year long loan for League Two side Barrow. McClelland made his debut on 30 July, starting in a 3–2 away win against Stockport County. He scored his first career goal in a 2–1 win over Walsall on 16 August 2022.

On 16 June 2023, Chelsea announced that McClelland would leave the club when his contract expired at the end of June.

St Johnstone

On 3 August 2023, McClelland signed for Scottish Premiership club St Johnstone. He moved on loan to Dundee United in February 2024.

International career

McClelland made his international debut for Northern Ireland on 3 June 2021 against Ukraine in a friendly.

Career statistics

Club

As of 19 January 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Chelsea U21 2021–22 ————1010
Chelsea 2022–23 Premier League 000000000000
Barrow (loan) 2022–23 League Two 2710020—10301
St Johnstone 2023–24 Scottish Premiership 700000—0070
Career total 34100200020381
  1. 1 2 Appearances in the EFL Trophy

International

As of match played 3 June 2021
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Northern Ireland 202110
Total10

Honours

Larne

References

  1. ↑ "Aspire Academy Tri-Series Season 2014–15" (PDF). Aspire Academy. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  2. ↑ Sam McClelland at Soccerway
  3. ↑ "Sam McClelland". Official Site | Chelsea Football Club. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  4. ↑ "Meet the Northern Irish teenager who has signed for Chelsea". Belfast Telegraph. 7 July 2018. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  5. ↑ "Academy defender loaned to League Two side". Chelsea FC. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  6. ↑ "Pete Wild Names His Barrow Side To Face Stockport County". Barrow AFC. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  7. ↑ "Stockport County 2 v 3 Barrow". Barrow AFC. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  8. ↑ "Barrow 2-1 Walsall: Summer signings Tyrell Warren and Sam McClelland end Walsall's unbeaten start to season". Sky Sports. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  9. ↑ "Retained list and goodbye to Bakayoko". www.chelseafc.com. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  10. ↑ "St Johnstone sign ex-Chelsea defender McClelland". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  11. ↑ "Sam McClelland makes Tannadice loan switch". Dundee United FC. 5 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  12. ↑ "Northern Ireland chasing equaliser in Ukraine". BBC Sport. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  13. ↑ Sam McClelland at Soccerway
  14. ↑ "McClelland, Sam". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  15. ↑