 He turned professional in November 1942 and helped Wolves to top six finishes in each of the first three post-war seasons.A knee injury kept him out of the team for most of the 1948-49 season and so he missed out on a place in Wolves' 1949 FA Cup winning side.McLean left Wolves in May 1951 to become player-manager at Aberystwyth Town, subsequently joining Bromsgrove Rovers as a player.