| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Paul Andrew McLaren[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 17 November 1976 | ||
| Place of birth | High Wycombe, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Oxford United | ||
| Number | 4 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1994–2001 | Luton Town | 166 | (4) |
| 2001–2004 | Sheffield Wednesday | 96 | (8) |
| 2004–2006 | Rotherham United | 71 | (4) |
| 2006–2008 | Tranmere Rovers | 85 | (5) |
| 2008–2009 | Bradford City | 34 | (3) |
| 2009–2010 | Tranmere Rovers | 44 | (0) |
| 2010– | Oxford United | 32 | (2) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21:43, 24 September 2011 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). |
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Paul Andrew McLaren (born 17 November 1976) is an English footballer who plays for Oxford United. He was born in High Wycombe.
He began his career as a trainee for Luton Town, playing over 160 games over eight seasons. He left Luton to step up a Division for Sheffield Wednesday where he played 96 games and scored six goals. He was released, however, by Chris Turner after the club's relegation and subsequent failure to gain promotion to The Championship. He played for Rotherham United under Ronnie Moore and in the 2006–07 close season signed a two-year contract for Moore's new club Tranmere Rovers having been released by Rotherham. In his debut season at the centre of the Rovers midfield McLaren started 42 of Tranmere's 46 games in League One, and a further 43 the following season.
McLaren is a central midfielder, with an excellent assist record—13 during the 2007–08 season—mainly due to his passing and set piece ability.
He turned down a new contract offer from Tranmere and instead, on 1 July 2008, signed a two-year deal with League Two club Bradford City.[2] He was one of four Bradford players to make his debut on the opening day of the 2008–09 season against Notts County, which Bradford won 2–1.[3] His first goal for his new club came on 30 August 2008, with the opening goal in a 3–2 defeat to Aldershot Town.[4] He was a regular in the Bradford side but missed a month of the season during February and March because of a calf injury,[5] before being released at the end of the season.
On 10 July 2009 McLaren rejoined Tranmere on a two-year contract. He scored his first Tranmere goal upon his return when he scored at home to Grimsby in a first-round Carling Cup tie on 11 August 2009. On 26 November 2010, Tranmere Rovers cancelled McLaren's contract by mutual consent.[6] A little over a month later, on 31 December 2010, he joined Oxford United until the end of the 2010–11 season. [7]
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